Ten players who ran the show in the first round of the 2024 Sahara Conference

Ten players have done absolutely everything in their power to keep their teams in contention for the playofsf spots.

Some, more than others, have realistic chances of continuing their BAL season beyond May 12.

Find below some highlights that separated these ten outstanding performers from other in the first six games of the Sahara Conference.

OBADIAH NOEL (APR)

Noel’s three-pointer buzzer beater that tied the game at 78-78 before APR upset US Monastir (89-84) in overtime, in the opener of the conference, will probably be the biggest shot of the conference (if not the season). Let’s wait and see.

Noel has been an x-factor for the Rwandan champions, averaging 27 points per game.

KELVIN AMAYO (Rivers Hoopers)

Days before the start of the conference, Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu expressed his confidence and excitement about his BAL-tested signings, including Amayo.

Fast forward to the end of the first round of the conference and Amayo has shown why Odaudu was right.

He may have contributed just seven points in the Hoopers’ 77-68 win over AS Douanes, but he created shooting opportunities for others, finishing with eight assists.

Amayo’s best outing? It’s not an easy task to shoot 6-for-17 from behind the arc to finish with a game-high of 30 points in a much-needed 84-63 triumph over US Monastir, but that’s what Amayo did.

DEVINE EKE (Rivers Hoopers)

Eke couldn’t have had a better BAL debut.

He shot 11-for-17 in the Nigerian champions’ opener to finish with 31 points while adding 12 rebounds.

Three days later, he finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in an 84-63 win over US Monastir to become the only player in the conference to register two double-doubles.

WILL PERRY (Rivers Hoopers)

In his third BAL season, Perry has played a huge for the Hoopers, running their offense with admirable class.

His catch-and-shoot technic has given defenders a hard time as was the case in the Hoopers’ 86-82 win over APR, where Perry finished 7-for-13 from behind arc. Had he made two more three-pointers he would have tied his own BAL record for most three-points made in a game.

ADONIS FILER (APR)

Filer has been so important to APR that when he had a 2-for-15 shooting, which included a 0-for-7 from the three-point line to finish with 6 points in 36 minutes, Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) went down 86-82 to Rivers Hoopers.

Filer, however, came back with a more solid performance during the hard-fought 66-61 win over hosts AS Douanes.

OUSSAMA MARNAOUI (US Monastir)

At the age of 24 (he turns 25 in June), Marnaoui has tasted two major continental trophies: the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket and the 2022 BAL season title with US Monastir.

Can he lift his third trophy in Africa in a three-year span?

Well, Marnaoui has given his all in the first three games of the Sahara conference, averaging 10.5 points per game, but things aren’t working according to plan for US Monastir who sit bottom of the Nile Conference with a 0-3 record with three games remaining. Yet, Marnaoui remains upbeat about the Tunisian champions’ chances of qualifying to the playoffs.

CHRIS CRAWFORD (US Monastir)

In effort to readjust his team’s rotation, head coach Mohamed Kierdani removed Crawford from the starting line-up against Rivers Hoopers, but three minutes into the game and with his team trailing 12-3, the Egyptian play-caller had no alternative to bring the 33-year-old guard back into the game.

Crawford, eventually, finished as the team’s second leading scorer with 17 points although the Tunisian side were unable to avoid their third straight loss.

MADUT AKEC (AS Douanes)

Akec may have had a sub-par performance of 4 points and 4 rebounds in 28 minutes in AS Douanes 66-61 loss to APR, but his impact in the first two games, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds, and his impressive athleticism should keep home fans optimistic for the remainder of the conference.

JEAN JACQUES BOISSY (AS Douanes)

Boissy’s connection and interaction with AS Douanes fans is out of this world.

When he waves his arms or celebrates one of his many spectacular plays, fans inside the Dakar Arena go crazy.

A 2022 All-BAL honoree, Boissy emerges as the heart and soul of the Senegalese champions.

ABDOULAYE HAROUNA (AS Douanes)

Harouna’s career-high of 35 points in a 76-59 win over US Monastir was everything AS Douanes after coming up short on Game-day 1 of the conference.