FUS Rabat stunned the RSSB Tigers 99-98 on Sunday, but the one-point victory wasn’t enough to avoid elimination from the 2026 Basketball Africa League playoffs, as a win by 23+ points was required.
Craig Randall delivered another heroic performance, finishing with 43 points and helping the Tigers advance to the semi-finals.
The Rwandan team secured one of the four semi-final spots on offer in the 2026 BAL playoffs.
FUS Rabat took to the court determined to save their BAL season, and things were looking good for the Moroccans, who were leading by 21 points in the first half.
The RSSB Tigers fought back, taking a six-point lead in the fourth quarter to the delight of their supporters, who packed the BK Arena for the second time this season.
However, FUS Rabat fought back to salvage their reputation, finishing their campaign with a one-point victory against one of the highest-scoring teams of the season.
FUS Rabat finished their season with four wins in seven games.
The RSSB Tigers will face Al Ahly SC in the semi-finals.
On Sunday night, the Moroccan champions were unrecognisable from the team that had been outplayed from the outset three days earlier.
While some thought the 23-point deficit was impossible to overcome, Will Perry — who had not played in the first match between the two teams — believed anything was possible.
They scored three after three, moved the ball at an astonishing pace, and kept the Tigers on the back foot for long periods of the game.
Perry was the RSSB Tigers’ main disruptor, showcasing his catch-and-shoot triples and playmaking skills. He shot 8-for-15 from the floor, including 5-for-10 from behind the arc, and finished with a season-high 29 points and 11 assists.
His teammate, Ilias Aqboub, added 17 points, while Mouhamadou Diagne narrowly missed out on a double-double, finishing with 17 points and nine rebounds.
However, the star of the show once again was Craig Randall, who leads the season in scoring with 37.7 points per game.
Randall’s determination was illustrated later in the fourth quarter when he found himself in a good position for an easy lay-up. However, he chose to move to a corner and sink his ninth and final three-pointer, giving RSSB a 98–97 lead. But Diagne sealed FUS Rabat’s win from the line, sinking two free-throws.
Randall attempted one-third of RSSB’s 85 shots, finishing with 43 points – his second-highest scoring haul since setting a BAL record of 54 points in March.
While the season has ended for FUS Rabat, the RSSB Tigers will now enjoy three rest days before their semi-final meeting against Al Ahly SC on Wednesday, 27 May.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Abdelkarim El Haoua (FUS Rabat)
“We were the strongest team on the court tonight and deserved to win. Unfortunately, we were missing some key players due to health issues. Nevertheless, we showed Africa what FUS Rabat is capable of. If our full squad had been available, we would have performed even better.”
“This win reminds everyone of our identity as a club. We are returning to Morocco to correct the mistakes we made here and focus on the domestic league.”
“The difference tonight was that our leading scorer, Will Perry, was back on court. We know only too well what it means to play at home, where the fans provide an inexplicable energy. We were never intimidated, but I promise you that we will come back stronger.”
Antino Jackson Jr. (RSSB Tigers)
“They deserve credit for playing hard throughout the game, but now is the time to focus on Al Ahly and prepare for the battle. The atmosphere was incredible, and we are grateful for their tireless support.”
SOURCE: BAL
