Several players who have competed in the Rwanda Basketball League are reportedly joining clubs across Africa for the 2027 Basketball Africa League qualifiers, while others have already appeared for their new teams in the opening rounds.
The Road to BAL Elite 16 tournaments are scheduled for November 10-15 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and November 24-29 in Nairobi, Kenya. Five places in the 2027 BAL season are available through the qualifiers.
It is reported on November 6 that the players involved include Chingka Kennedy Garba, Nisre Zouzoua, Chad Bowie, Antino Jackson Jr. and Justin Uwitonze.
Garba is already playing for Burundian club Urunani alongside Jeffery Tyrone Stubbs. FIBA’s match records confirm his participation in the opening qualifying round, where he scored 18 points against Madagascar’s COSPN on October 21.
Zouzoua has reportedly returned to Tanzanian club Dar City after featuring for RSSB Tigers. Kenyan newspaper The Standard also reported his return ahead of the East Division tournament in Nairobi.
Dar City will compete alongside host club Nairobi City Thunder, which has reportedly recruited former Kepler player Chad Bowie. Basketball publication Eurobasket also listed Bowie’s signing in early November.
Jackson has reportedly joined Libyan side Al-Ittihad for the qualifying campaign. Afrobasket reported the move, with Afrobasket identifying RSSB Tigers as his most recent Rwandan club.
Meanwhile, Uwitonze’s involvement with Ghana’s Spintex Knights is confirmed by FIBA’s roster and match records.
The Rwandan international has already made a significant contribution, scoring 24 points against NPA Pythons on October 22.
He made eight of his 13 three-point attempts in that game, helping Spintex Knights secure an 88-66 victory during the opening qualifying round.
The November tournaments offer the players an opportunity to help their clubs reach the BAL’s seventh season.
Nairobi City Thunder and Dar City received direct entry into the Elite 16, while Urunani and Spintex Knights competed in the preliminary round.
The top two teams from each division, together with the best third-placed team across both divisions, will qualify.
Those five clubs will join representatives from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal and Tunisia to complete the 12-team field.
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