APR took another step toward BAL Playoff qualification with a resounding 103-81 win over South Africa’s Made By Ball (MBB). But the night’s celebration was tempered by concerns over the status of their MVP contender, Aliou Diarra.
APR's second straight win in the conference wasn’t just a victory—it was a statement. Down two at halftime, the Rwandan champions regrouped and launched a spirited third-quarter charge, outscoring MBB 28-12 in a stretch that extinguished the visitors' hopes. The win lifted APR into a comfortable position and tightened their grip on a potential playoff spot, an ambition that now feels within reach.
"This is a new team," MBB head coach Sam Vincent said post-game. "We haven’t played a lot together. In the second half, APR’s experience really showed.”
Indeed, experience—both in battle and adversity—made the difference. Coach James Maye Jr. revealed what changed in the locker room: “It was just letting guys know that we needed to go get the glass, we needed physicality, but also that we needed to just piece the game together.”
APR heeded the call. Youssou Ndoye delivered a standout performance, finishing with 25 points and 9 rebounds. Axel Mpoyo provided crucial deep shooting to turbo-charge APR's run. Yet, as has so often been the case, the engine of APR's dominance was Aliou Diarra.
Diarra had 22 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks before limping off midway through the fourth quarter. While his exit was a moment of concern for fans in BK Arena and beyond, APR had already shown they can rally as a unit. With momentum on their side and depth across the roster, the team remains confident as they prepare for their biggest test yet against group leaders Ahli Tripoli.
Diarra is emerging as one of the BAL's most dominant forces—and a frontrunner in the MVP conversation, battling Ahli Tripoli's Jean-Jacques Boissy for that coveted title. His thunderous dunks have been igniting the energy in the arena, and his rebounding presence and shot-blocking instincts have been vital to APR’s defensive scheme.
Sunday’s matchup also carried deeper storylines, from MBB's Pieter Prinsloo—who plays domestically for Rwanda Energy Group (REG)—squaring off against familiar foes, to the symbolic meeting of two of the NBA’s coveted African markets. Rwanda has hosted the BAL playoffs four consecutive years; this year, South Africa gets its turn. But on the court in Kigali, it was the host that stood tall.
With the conference approaching its halfway mark, APR's showdown with Ahli Tripoli looms large. It will be a test of skill, strength, and resolve. Whether Diarra is on the court or not, the Lions will need to summon every ounce of grit they have shown so far.
For now, they have taken one more step toward the BAL Playoffs. But the road ahead just got steeper.