RSSB Tigers star Craig Randall II has vowed that the Basketball Africa League (BAL) trophy will stay in Kigali because the Rwandan facet prepares for a historic ultimate in opposition to Angola’s Petro de Luanda on Sunday at BK Area.
The American guard has been one of many standout performers of the 2026 BAL season and is among the many 4 finalists for the league’s Most Beneficial Participant (MVP) award, alongside teammate Mangok Mathiang and Petro de Luanda duo Childe Dundao and Abou Gakou.
Talking forward of the championship recreation, Randall expressed confidence within the Tigers’ means to finish their fairytale run and ship the title to residence followers.
“We’ve been making ready for this second because the Kalahari Convention. Reaching the ultimate was at all times considered one of our objectives,” Randall instructed journalists in the course of the pre-match press convention.
“We all know Petro are a really robust staff and so they should be right here, however we consider in ourselves. Now we have an entire squad, we belief one another, and we’re going to do every little thing attainable to maintain that trophy proper right here in Kigali.”
ALSO READ: RSSB Tigers eradicate Al Ahly to achieve historic BAL 2026 ultimate
Head coach Henry Mwinuka echoed Randall’s confidence, insisting that his facet has discovered precious classes from their earlier assembly with Petro in the course of the Kalahari Convention and is prepared for the problem.
“We made plenty of errors in the course of the Kalahari Convention, however the constructive factor is that the gamers perceive what went flawed and methods to appropriate it,” Mwinuka stated.
“This ultimate is greater than us. We’re taking part in for our membership, our supporters and our nation. We’ll struggle till the tip, and I consider we now have what it takes to win the title.”
ALSO READ: What to find out about RSSB Tigers, Petro de Luanda forward of BAL ultimate
Mwinuka additionally acknowledged that Petro are more likely to focus closely on limiting Randall’s affect, significantly his three-point capturing and skill to create scoring alternatives.
“We all know Petro prefer to neutralise their opponents’ key gamers, and Craig is of course one of many gamers they may pay particular consideration to,” he defined.
“However basketball is a staff recreation. In the event that they concentrate on Craig, it creates alternatives for others. We’re ready for each situation.”
Tigers’ outstanding debut marketing campaign
RSSB Tigers have loved a sensational debut season within the BAL, rising as one of many competitors’s largest success tales.
The Rwandan facet topped the Kalahari Convention with a 4-1 report, saying themselves as real title contenders from the outset.
They carried that momentum into the playoffs, overcoming Morocco’s FUS Rabat within the quarterfinals earlier than producing a memorable 106-97 victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly SC within the semifinals.
That triumph not solely secured a spot within the BAL ultimate but in addition made RSSB Tigers the primary Rwandan membership to achieve the championship recreation within the competitors’s historical past.
Now, with one match standing between them and continental glory, the Tigers have the chance to cap a outstanding marketing campaign by changing into the primary Rwandan staff to raise the BAL trophy.
