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Leonard Solms
- Jack of all sporting trades. Author of my 11-year-old self’s fantasy story about his road to FIFA World Cup glory. Perfecting the art of writing about people who do what I said I was going to do.
May 18, 2025, 04:45 PM ET
KIGALI, Rwanda — Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli handed Kenya’s Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) their second straight Basketball Africa League (BAL) thumping on Sunday with a 115-87 drubbing, setting a league scoring record for team points.
The previous record had been set by Tunisia’s US Monastir in the BAL’s inaugural season in 2021 as they beat Madagascar’s GNBC 113-66 – also in Kigali.
Ahli Tripoli headed into the game bolstered by an 87-77 Saturday win over South Africa’s MBB, while NCT had lost 92-63 to Rwanda’s APR.
Ahli dominated the first few minutes of Sunday’s game and went 19-7 up with captain Mohamed Sadi leading from the front. Nevertheless, NCT eventually found their rhythm to limit the Libyan side’s lead at the end of the first quarter to 24-18.
The Kenyan side kept their momentum up in the early stages of the second quarter and narrowed the deficit to 39-37. However, Jean-Jacques Boissy began to find his rhythm and took on a leading role in a 14-1 run, which sent Ahli Tripoli into half-time 53-38 ahead.
American Jaylen Adams, who has played in the NBA, G League, and in Australia and China, admires his form at the Basketball Africa League Nile Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. Armand Lenoir/NBAE via Getty Images
NCT had a dismal second half in their defeat to APR on Saturday, and once again they started terribly on Sunday. Ahli Tripoli scored 18 of the first 21 points in the third quarter to extend the lead to 71-41. By the end of the quarter, they led 81-53 with Jaylen Adams and Boissy leading the charge.
NCT’s Uchenna Iroegbu’s shots were landing from all over in the fourth quarter, which was a high-scoring stretch for both sides. Both added 34 to their total as Ahli Tripoli became the highest-scoring team ever in a BAL game.
Boissy led the scoring with 30 points, while Adams scored 26, Deon Thompson 21 and Sadi 20. For NCT, Iroegbu led the scoring with 18, while Eugene Phillips scored 14 and Tylor Ongwae 10.
Commenting on his continued use of Boissy as a sixth man despite his hot scoring form, Ahli Tripoli head coach Fouad Abou Chacra said in the post-match press conference: “He is a young player (aged 25) with very strong character. He’s a winner – he doesn’t like excuses. He doesn’t want to be victimised. Every time he steps in, he’s a hard worker.
“I’m blessed as a coach because these guys are not only great players. They are great men – human beings… The human part is beautiful in my team in that they all love each other; they tap in directly and they correct each other.
“There is no distance between these players. That’s why, Boissy stepping in as a sixth man will for sure be the best sixth man at this tournament.”
Ahli Tripoli will face APR on Tuesday, while NCT look to bounce back that day against South Africa’s MBB.
The BAL airs on ESPN’s channels in Africa (DStv 218 and 219, Starsat 248).
