Bangui Sporting Club Explained

City:Bangui, Central African Republic
League:LBBB
BAL
Championships:2 (2022, 2023)
Website:banguisportinclub.com
Coach:François Enyengue
History:GIBA-BCAGS
(2017–2022)
Bangui Sporting Club
(2022–present)
Colours:Navy, Red and White
Nickname:BSC
Current:2023–24 Bangui Sporting Club season

Bangui Sporting Club, also known as Bangui SC, is a Central African basketball team based in Bangui. The team plays in the Bangui Basketball League (LBBB) and has won the championship in 2022 and 2023.[1] In the 2024 season, Bangui will play in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), as the first team from the Central African Republic in the competition.

History

The club was founded in 2017 as GIBA-BCAGS,[2] by former national team player Cyrille Damango. The team entered the Bangui Basketball League (LBBB) after its establishment, and finished as runners-up in 2021, losing to Tondema In the final.[3] The team changed its name to Bangui Sporting Club on 4 April 2022.

Following their 2022 national championship, Sporting represented the Central African Republic in the 2023 BAL qualification,[4] and its roster featured national team players Max Kouguere and Steven-Emile Perriere, as well as Rwandan guard Kenny Gasana and center Kendall Gray.[5] Sporting narrowly missed out on a place in the BAL, after losing the third place game to Stade Malien.

They repeated as LBBB champions in 2023 after defeating New Tech Bantou in the finals, with national team players Evans Ganapamo and Max Kouguere on the roster.[6] Before the beginning of the Road to BAL, Sporting hired Liz Mills as their new head coach.[7] Bangui had a successful run which was highlighted by their 4 November semi-final win over Al Ahly Benghazi, which sealed their qualification to the 2024 BAL season. Thus, Bangui Sporting Club became the first team from the Central African Republic to qualify for the BAL.[8] and winning the West Division title after beating FUS Rabat in the final on 5 November.[9]

Following financial issues of the organization ahead of the BAL, Bangui struggled to pay its players after the successful Road to BAL campaign and coach Mills did not re-sign.[10] In March, Bangui appointed Justin Serresse as their new head coach,[11] before leaving the team over payment disputes as well.

Honours

Bangui Basketball League

Road to BAL

Players

See main article: category.

Current roster

The following is the Bangui Sporting Club roster for the 2024 BAL qualification:

Notable players

Head coaches

References

  1. Web site: 2022-08-16 . Bangui Sporting Club et ASOPT champions masculin et féminin de la ligue de basket de Bangui . 2022-09-25 . centrafricaine . fr-FR.
  2. News: 2022-10-08 . Road to BAL 2023…. Bangui Sporting Club ménage sa monture… . Mbolocameroon.com . 2022-10-08.
  3. Web site: RCA/Sport: Tondema sacré champion de la Ligue de Basketball de Bangui après plus de 8 ans de disette . 2022-08-22 . radiondekeluka.org . 29 July 2021 . fr-fr.
  4. Web site: 2022-09-21 . African clubs to compete in 2022 Road to BAL and Elite 16 Qualifying Tournaments confirmed . 2022-09-23 . FIBA.basketball.
  5. Web site: Bangui Sporting Club at the Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L. 2023 2022 . 2022-10-08 . FIBA.basketball.
  6. Web site: Sango . Ndjoni . 2023-08-28 . RCA: Bangui Sporting Club devient champion de la ligue de Bangui saison 2023 . 2023-09-17 . Ndjoni Sango . fr-FR.
  7. Web site: 2023-09-14 . DEFENSE! Coach Liz Mills has a plan for new BAL team Bangui SC . 2023-09-17 . ESPN.
  8. Web site: 2023-11-04 . Bangui stun star-studded Benghazi to book first-ever BAL ticket . 2023-11-06 . FIBA.basketball.
  9. Web site: 2023-11-05 . Bangui win West Division Elite 16 . 2023-11-06 . FIBA.basketball.
  10. News: Solms . Leonard . 2024-04-19 . Bangui lose second head coach as BAL campaign gets off to rocky start . 2024-04-26 . ESPN.
  11. Web site: 2024-03-22 . Justin Serresse named head coach of BAL's Bangui S.C. . 2024-03-26 . Laurier Athletics – Waterloo Campus.