Ghanaian champions Spintex Knights opened their Road to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2027 campaign with a hard-fought 96-90 victory over Guinea’s Nabaya Soya in Libya.
The Nobles had to fight back after losing the opening quarter 24-28 but responded strongly in the second quarter, outscoring their opponents 18-12 to take a 42-40 lead into halftime.
Nabaya Soya continued to challenge the Ghanaian side in the third quarter, edging it 23-24. However, Spintex Knights raised their level in the final quarter, scoring 30 points against Nabaya’s 27 to secure the six-point victory.
Despite the win, head coach Selorm Thomas acknowledged that the team had areas to improve, particularly in defence, after conceding 90 points.
Speaking after the game, Thomas described the encounter as a difficult test for his side but was pleased with their ability to secure the victory.
“It was a tough game, and Nabaya Basketball Club gave us a strong challenge. We had to work hard throughout the game to get the result. While scoring 96 points reflects our attacking strength, conceding 90 shows that we need to tighten up defensively. I am happy that we found a way to win,” he said.
Spintex Knights will be hoping to build on the victory as they pursue a place in the 2027 BAL season, having fallen short at the Elite 16 stage during the 2026 qualification campaign.
Thomas said the team was determined to improve on last season’s performance, stressing that consistency, defensive discipline and better ball management would be important to their ambitions.
“Our target is to go further than we did last season. We have learned from that experience and understand the demands of competing at this level. We need to be more consistent, defend better, take care of the ball and work more collectively as a team.
“We are pleased with this win, but we know the work is far from over. We are not here just to participate; we want to compete strongly and give ourselves the best opportunity to progress further,” he added.
Looking ahead to their next fixture, the Spintex Knights coach said the team would review their performance against Nabaya Soya and address the areas that require improvement.
“This victory gives us confidence, but we cannot afford to relax. We will assess our performance, correct our mistakes and make the necessary adjustments before the next game. Every match in this competition matters, so we must recover well, remain focused and execute our game plan.
“We respect every opponent, but our focus is on improving our own performance and being ready to compete for another win,” Thomas said.
Spintex Knights will now look to maintain their winning momentum as they continue their quest to progress beyond the Elite 16 and secure a place in the 2027 Basketball Africa League season.
By: Victoria Kwofie
