By: Kwame Bediako
Ghana’s Spintex Knights Basketball Club have once again booked their place in the Divisional (West) Round of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) qualifiers, marking their second consecutive appearance at this stage of the continental championship.
The team secured qualification after finishing second in Group B of the Zonal qualifiers held over the weekend.
The Knights sealed their spot with a crucial 63-53 victory over Benin’s Elan Coton in their final group game, their second win in three matches.
The result saw them place behind Cote D’Ivoire’s Jeunesse d’Abidjan, who topped the group after an emphatic 76-47 win over Liberia’s L.P.R.C. Oilers. Jeunesse finished the round with an unbeaten record to claim first place.
Despite a relatively quiet night for Knights’ star guard James Amotoe, who recorded 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists in just over 33 minutes, it was youngster Abdul Aziz Yakubu who rose to the occasion.
Coming off the bench, Yakubu delivered a vital 14-point, 11-rebound double-double performance that energized the Ghanaian side at a crucial point in the contest.
Forward Gatyang Yar Luak also contributed 10 points as the team showed great depth and resilience to power past a tough Elan Coton side.
The win not only highlights the Knights’ growing dominance on the regional basketball scene but also reinforces their ambition to become a permanent fixture on the BAL stage.
Following their qualification, the Spintex Knights are expected to return to Ghana to continue domestic duties in the Accra Basketball League Men’s Division I playoffs.
The defending champions will aim to maintain their winning streak at home as they prepare for the next phase of their continental journey.
