BraveHearts closed their Road to BAL 2027 campaign with a 64-56 win over Harare Kings, as Ian Limbe scored 19 points. Turnovers proved decisive, with Harare committing 29 compared with BraveHearts’ 12 in the final Group E fixture.
Last Updated on
November 3, 2026
BraveHearts ended their Road to BAL 2027 campaign on a winning note, beating Harare Kings 64-56 at the NASDEC Sports Complex in Lusaka in a Group E fixture that carried no weight in the race for the next round.
The standings were already settled, as Munali Suns had secured a top finish and a place in the Elite 16. Meanwhile, Ferroviario da Beira and Dolphins met in a straight decider for the automatic spots. Beira took that one comfortably, 100-68. That left BraveHearts and the Kings with a final game and little else at stake, and BraveHearts used it better.
Ian Limbe was the best player on the floor, finishing with 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-6 from three and 4-of-6 at the line, and adding four assists and three steals on one turnover in 37 minutes.
Faad Billy supported him with 15 points and five assists in nearly 36 minutes, though he needed 18 shots to get there and made just one of seven from three.Ngoma gave the side a lift off the bench with 9 points and 7 rebounds on 3-of-13 shooting.
Clayton Chikwengo was a steadying presence inside with 7 points, 9 rebounds (eight of them defensive) and a block. Madalitso Kadiwa scored only 2 points but picked up two steals and finished +9 in just over 20 minutes, despite picking up four fouls. Titus Njovu added 4 points, while Henry Munashe Chizah, Uchizi Mwale, Kelvin Masiyano and Chris Prince Millie each scored 2.
For the Kings, Munashe Makunde led the scoring with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting; Neville Chivanganye was their most productive player, with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting, 13 rebounds (three offensive) and an efficiency rating of 19. However, his five turnovers undercut an otherwise strong 24 minutes.
Emmanuel Shine added 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks; Penduka added 7 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists; and Ndyara and Kaduya scored 6 points each.
The opening quarter decided the game, as BraveHearts scored 21 points to the Kings' 11 and built a 10-point cushion that Harare never fully erased. The Kings put up a fight in the second quarter and edged it 14-13, but BraveHearts still led by nine points as they closed out the first half at 34-25.
The second half gave spectators plenty to cheer about as both sides went neck and neck and finished the penultimate quarter level at 18-18, sending BraveHearts into the final quarter still up by 9 (52-43). Barring the first-quarter result, the close contest ended with the Kings winning the fourth quarter by just a point, 13-12, but it did little to change the outcome, as their opponents had already established that early lead.
BraveHearts led for over 37 minutes, while the Kings led for just 36 seconds. Harare's biggest lead was two points, while BraveHearts' was 12. There were two lead changes and three ties all afternoon, and neither side put together a big run.
However, Harare did plenty right despite the loss, winning the rebound battle 55-37, with 13 offensive boards to 10, and shooting better overall. They also looked far sharper inside the paint, but they paid dearly for turnovers, giving the ball away 29 times to BraveHearts' 12, with BraveHearts turning that into 11 steals against Harare's eight.
Neither team shot well from deep, but the Kings were far worse, making only 1 of 14, with the lone make coming from Charles Wilson; the other 12 attempts missed, including three each from Penduka, Makunde and Tanaka Ndyara.
BraveHearts made 7 of 28 attempts. Limbe (3 of 6) and Taonga Ngoma (2 of 5) accounted for five of them, while the rest of the roster went 2 of 17. At the line, BraveHearts hit 9 of 13 and the Kings 11 of 18, while assists were nearly even at 15 to 14 in favour of BraveHearts.
In the end, the result closes the Lusaka chapter for both clubs. BraveHearts leave with a win and some solid individual displays, particularly from their guards. Harare Kings go home to reflect on a week in which turnovers and poor shooting from deep cost them in close games, including their 70-69 loss to Munali Suns. Munali, along with Beira and Dolphins, move on in the chase for a place at the BAL.
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