Al Ahly Benghazi Edges Club Africain 88-87 in FIBA BAL Heart-Stopper

Match Date: 23 May 2026 | Competition: FIBA Basketball Africa League

In a contest worthy of the Basketball Africa League’s grand stage, Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya snatched a dramatic 88-87 victory over Tunisia’s Club Africain on Saturday. The game featured spectacular individual performances, a tense final possession, and a last-second defensive stop that sealed the win for the Libyan side.

Match Overview

From the opening quarter, both teams displayed the high-level athleticism and tactical discipline that defines the BAL. Club Africain started hot, riding sharp shooting from guard Mehdi Sayedi to a 24-20 lead after 10 minutes. Al Ahly Benghazi responded in the second with aggressive drives to the rim, cutting the margin to 45-43 at halftime.

Third-Quarter Showdown

The third quarter saw Al Ahly Benghazi’s star forward, Mohamed El Fitouri, take over. He scored 12 points in the period, including two thunderous dunks that swung momentum. But Club Africain answered with a barrage of three-pointers from Yassine Guedira, keeping the game knotted at 66-66 heading into the fourth.

Final-Minute Drama

The final period was a tense chess match. With 1:23 left, Club Africain led 87-86 after a free throw. Al Ahly Benghazi worked the shot clock and got a baseline jumper from guard Ali El Sir that bounced high before falling through the net, putting his team up by one with 34 seconds remaining. Club Africain called timeout and set up a play for Sayedi, but his contested pull-up jumper missed, and the rebound was secured by Al Ahly’s center, Youssef Al Ghanaii, who was fouled. He missed both free throws, giving Club Africain one final chance with 5 seconds left. A long inbounds pass found Guedira, but his off-balance three-pointer at the horn clanked off the rim, sparking wild celebrations from the Al Ahly bench.

Standout Players

• Al Ahly Benghazi: Mohamed El Fitouri exploded for 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing 4 assists. Ali El Sir added 18 points, including the game-winning shot.
• Club Africain: Mehdi Sayedi led all scorers with 31 points (7 three-pointers). Yassine Guedira contributed 22 points and 6 assists, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Libyans’ clutch finishing.

Season & Tournament Context

This result keeps Al Ahly Benghazi in contention for a top seed in their BAL group, improving to 2-1 in group play. Club Africain drops to 1-2 but remains alive for a knockout-round berth. The BAL continues to showcase the best club talent across Africa, and matchups like this underline the league’s rising competitiveness on the global basketball stage.

Al Ahly Benghazi returns to action on May 25 against US Monastir, while Club Africain will look to rebound against FAP of Cameroon.