Magic Get Road To BAL Run Off to a Flying Start With 68–59 Win Over Dolphins

Matero Magic Gets Road To BAL Campaign Off To A Flying Start With 68–59 Win Over Dolphins

A loud and engaged home crowd watched home team, Matero Magic, tip off their Group E 2026 Road to BAL run with a hard-fought 68-59 victory over Botswana Basketball League champions Dolphins in Lusaka's Nasdec Sports Complex. The Magic came out strong, feeding off the energy in Lusaka to build a dominant 20-point lead by halftime (48-28).

Elijah Mukalebai led the charge, finishing the night with 14 points even as he found solid support in former MBB forward Omar Thielmans, who posted 17 points, and Corey Boyd, who really dominated in the paint, finishing with 13 points and picking up a massive 13 rebounds.

Dolphins hooper George Ngaiza was their standout performer, finishing with a team-high 18 points, while his teammates Kendrick Delahoussaye and Kesaobaka Ndawanyana contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, in the loss.

However, the Dolphins refused to go down without a fight, mounting a gritty second-half comeback. The Phins closed the gap to just 11 points at 62-51 when Ndawanyana scored a free throw with the clock at 5:12, but just as their hopes began to rise in the tie, the Magic came up with a response, pulling away once more to seal the win on opening night with a nine-point victory.

Matero Magic are not newcomers to the Road to BAL level, having advanced to last year's Elite 16 round before crashing out, with a 0-3 record. Matero initially showed some promise, registering a 5-0 record in the qualifiers. Last year, the Zambian powerhouse notched their most impressive Road to BAL win, securing a 114-42 victory over Botswana Defence Force.

Although they were unable to replicate that feat against the 2025 Botswana Basketball League champions, their intent was clear as day: Win at all costs... even if it's ugly!

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[Photography Courtesy of FIBA]