Spintex Knights make history as first Ghanaian team to reach Elite 16 of Basketball Africa League

Spintex Knights Basketball Club has become the first Ghanaian team to qualify for the Elite 16 stage of the prestigious Basketball Africa League (BAL).

This landmark achievement puts the Greater Accra Basketball League champions Spintex Knights within touching distance of competing in the main event of the tournament, which is a collaboration between the NBA and FIBA.

Despite facing challenges in the preliminary round held in Libya, the Knights secured their spot in the next stage. 

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They narrowly lost their final Western Division Group B game 69-73 to Liberia’s Mighty Barolle Basketball Club on Saturday and fell 81-99 to Ivory Coast's ABC Fighters. However, their 82-69 win against Elan Coton Benin in the opening game was enough to earn them second place in the group, thanks to superior points difference.

Spintex Knights, Mighty Barolle, and Elan Coton finished the group stage with identical records of one win and two losses each. But the Knights’ overall performance allowed them to clinch the second qualification spot behind group leaders ABC Fighters, who dominated the group with three consecutive victories, including a 94-66 win over Elan Coton in their final game.

This historic feat marks a significant moment for Ghanaian basketball, as the Knights surpass the efforts of the Braves of Customs, who represented Ghana in the 2019 BAL edition but were unable to progress past the early stages.

With their eyes set on the Elite 16, the Spintex Knights now aim to secure their place in the BAL’s main tournament, further cementing their position in African basketball.

The team will head to Cote d'Ivoire for the Round of 16 from November 5-10, 2024.