Jawad Adekoya’s game-high performance lifts Maktown Flyers to a strong BAL 6 start

Nigerian champions Maktown Flyers got off to a very bright start at the Season 6 of the Basketball Africa League with a solid 76-68 win against their West African counterparts JCA Kings of Ivory Coast inside the Salle Omnisports Moulay Abdellah, Rabat, Morocco, venue of this year's Sahara Conference.

The game delivered an exciting topsy turvy template in the quarters with both teams winning two quarters each, while the debutants got off to an opening day win, their first ever in the BAL, it was a second consecutive loss for JCA Kings who are also making their debut in this season's edition.

Jawad Adekoya's game high 20-points ensured that he led all scorers after the game, stuffing the stat sheet in all the right places with game-high in points, a game-high three steals, and two gritty rebounds that spoke louder than the numbers. Also on the winning team were two players who both combined for 26 points with Tyrell Jabar and Hassan Drame contributing 13 points each while also registereing five and six rebounds respectively as they provided the kind of balanced attack that makes defensive game-planning a nightmare. Down low, Peter Olisemeka and Ibrahim Doumbia were absolute brutes on the glass, each hauling down 10 rebounds, turning the paint into a workspace.

For the Kings, pride came in the form of Jonathan Cissé, who led his side with 16 points making him the highest scorer on the night for the Ivorians. Robinson Odoch added 14, and Cheikh Diong proved to be a menace on the boards with a game-high 11 rebounds but on this night, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop history.

From tip-off, head coach Abdulrahman Mohamed’s side went for the kill early with a confident starting five that included James Butler, Tyrell Corbin, Peter Olisemeka, Hassan Drame, and Jawad Adekoya and they exhibited a belief that didn’t make them look like newcomers but looked like a side that had been waiting for this moment their whole lives.

The first quarter was a clinic as they dropped eight three-pointers and ended up closing the opening quarter with a breathtaking 30-17 run with the Nigerian side capitalizing on taking advantage from the deep plays,leaving the other team asking questions.

And to their credit, the Ivorians didn’t fold in the game as they went on to give a good response in the second quarter. A more tightened display was seen as they scratched their way to a 21–16 edge in the frame, and suddenly a closed back a game that initially had the feel of a blowout as they went into the locker room at halftime trailing, but very much alive with the score at 46-38.

Whatever Coach Mohamed said during the break worked for the Nigerians as they came out of the third quarter and reasserted their will in the tie, outscoring JCA Kings 21–16 as they swelled back the lead to almost a comfortable margin heading into the final quarter. A late push by the Ivorians in the final quarter saw them edge the quarter 14-9  but it was too little, too late as Maktown bagged their first win and they’d earned every bit of it.

There’s no time for long celebrations though as the Flyers barely have time to ice down and review tape. Nextup for the Nigerian champions is a date with the conference hosts, FUS Rabat of Morocco on Sunday at the same venue and the stakes in that tie will definitely be heavier.

All six teams will compete in a round-robin system over eight game-days and the top four teams in the conference will advance to the 2026 BAL Playoffs in May, where they will join the four other teams from the Kalahari Conference.

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[Photography/Imagery : Courtesy of Basket Senegal/Africa Basket]