From April 26 to May 4 2025, during the Sahara Conference, the eliminatory phase of the Road to Bal 2025, Cape Verdean club Kriol Star will take on Petro Luanda, the season 2 champions and Asc Ville de Dakar in their first participation, at the Dakar Arena in Senegal. In the run-up to the match, the team’s players are stepping up their training. The aim is to establish Cape Verde as a leading basketball nation on the continent.
The Cape Verdean team Kriol Star will be discovering the Basketball Africa League (Bal) through the Sahara Conference that the Dakar Arena is hosting from 26 April to 4 May 2025. The team plays in the Cape Verdean Basketball League (CBL) and is the first team from the country to take part in the Road to BAL. In their first campaign in this league, which has now been in existence for three seasons, they will face defending champions Petro Luanda, season 2 champions Us Monastir and Asc Ville de Dakar, who will also be making their first appearance in the competition, in the same group.
‘It has to be said that the BAL is on the biggest stage on the African continent. It’s a big step, not only for Cape Verdean basketball, but also for talent, not only at national level, but also on the continent. I’m very proud of it and I must add that this project is more than personal, it’s an achievement, an ambition for Cape Verde. We are in the process of leaving a mark for the future with patriotism. We have to build this team first and then replenish the ranks of the national team and let our flag shine.’
Joel Almeida, Player, Kriol Star – Cape Verde
The first list of the Cape Verde Kriol Star team was revealed in October 2024 and included players from the national team and Oumar Barry, among others. The list updated in February 2025 includes Ali Lahrichi, Helton Lopes Correia, the swingman and Luis Teixeira in attack. For the national team coach, the aim is undoubtedly to raise the Cape Verdean flag high on the African basketball scene.
‘First and foremost, it’s gratifying to see that we’ve come a long way to qualify, and that we’ve done it a little bit day by day, and a lot through the efforts of individual people that we’ve managed to bring this joy to the people of Cape Verde. And now, yes, we’re on a big stage, because we’re going to qualify on a big stage and we hope above all to represent, represent the country very well and represent the people of Cape Verde and what that means.’
Hugo Salgado, Coach, Kriol Star – Portugal
Praia-based basketball team Kriol Star was founded in 2024 by professional players and brothers Joel and Ivan Almeida through the Kriol Star Foundation. The club took part in the Road to BAL 2025, becoming the first team from Cape Verde to take part in FIBA’s continental qualifying tournaments. If the island nation qualifies at this conference, it can hope to take part in the finals, which will be held for the first time in Pretoria, South Africa, from 6 to 14 June 2025. There will be 48 games in all, ten more than last season.
