Published: October 14, 2024
Liberian basketball champions, Mighty Barrolle, have been eliminated from the NBA-sponsored Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Barrolle competed in Pool ‘B’ alongside ABC Fighters of Ivory Coast, Benin’s Elan Coton, and Spintex Knights of Ghana in the Western Zone Qualifiers hosted by Libya.
The ‘Rollers’ secured a crucial 73-69 win against Ghana’s Spintex Knights on Saturday, October 12, but the victory wasn’t enough, as Barrolle exited the competition in their debut appearance. The win ended a two-game losing streak to ABC Fighters of Ivory Coast and Benin’s Elan Coton.
Omar Samba’s 20-point double-double and dominant rebounding performance propelled Barrolle to the much-needed victory.
Spintex started strong, leading 23-18 after the first quarter and maintaining control well into the second. However, their momentum unraveled as they scored just six points in a disastrous second quarter, allowing Barrolle to seize a 41-29 halftime advantage.
Despite Spintex scoring 15 points to match Barrolle’s 19 in the third quarter, the Ghanaians found themselves trailing 60-44 heading into the final quarter. The Knights fought back with a determined 25-point effort in the last period, but Barrolle’s 13 points proved enough to secure the win.
Barrolle’s dominance on the glass was evident as they out-rebounded Spintex 56-42, converting those boards into 16 second-chance points. Barrolle’s bench also played a pivotal role, contributing 30 points compared to just 20 from Spintex’s reserves. While Spintex moved the ball more effectively, tallying more assists than Barrolle, it wasn’t enough to avoid their third defeat in the tournament.
Barrolle’s BAL debut marked the first international appearance for a Liberian club since the lifting of a FIBA ban on the country in 2023. The local basketball association had been embroiled in internal conflicts for over four years, which led FIBA to sanction Liberia from all of its activities.
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