Petro de Luanda Rally Past Dar City to Reach BAL 2026 Semi-finals

After losing the first match of the two-game quarterfinal series, 2024 Basketball Africa League champions Petro De Luanda of Angola produced a scintillating performance that saw them blow out Tanzanian giants, Dar City in the concluding quarterfinal fixture 83-69 inside the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda.

Petro showed the experience and composure of a seasoned continental powerhouse as they fought back to eliminate Tanzania’s Dar City and reach the semi-finals of the 2026 Basketball Africa League playoffs. After falling 88-82 in the opening game of the quarter-final series, the Angolan champions entered the second meeting knowing they had little margin for error and what followed was a determined response from a team that understood the stakes.

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Chasson Randle finished the night with a 20-point performance that propelled his team into the semis especially as he was dropping multiple shots from behind the arc, he also got four rebounds and three assists with some strong support from Yanick Moreira and Kacuol Dut Jok who both finished with 16 and 15 points respectively to lead the Angolans past the Tanzanian outfit as they advanced. For Dar City, Nisre Zouzoua finished with a game-high 21 points in the disappointing loss on aggregate, while also registering two rebounds and four assists. Nigeria's Uzodinma Utomi was also on ground to register 20 points and seven rebounds for Dar City but it wasn't enough to prevent a loss that ultimately cost them a place in the last four.

Knowing fully well of what they were meant to do on the court, the Angolan giants got off to a blistering start inside the opening quarter as Randle pulled up a jump shot made from behind the arc to get things started on the night. Dar City who had stunned the Angolan side in the first game of the playoffs quickly responded with a two-point shot from Michael Foster. Petro then went on to lead by four points as Randle bagged another three point shot before Cleusio Castro extended the points to six when he made a dunk. Dar City reduced the points difference to two when Nisre Zouzoua scored from behind the arc inside the opening four minutes and the back and forth continued closely until late on as Petro went on a scoring spree to close out the first quarter leading by 10 points at (26-16).

The second quarter was a little bit more of a tight contest as Dar City got into their groove just as they did in the first game as they kept a close chase on the Angolans. Just like he did in the opening quarter, Randle again started off for Petro with a three-pointer to extend his team's points to 11 after David Michineau had reduced the tally to eight points when he made a turnaround jump to score. Afterwards, Petro went on a 7-0 run before Foster made a three point jump shot as his side trailed by 17 points with over six minutes of action left in the quarter. Dar City then capitalized on a couple of turnovers recorded by the Angolans as they went on a decent run to close out the second quarter at (19-20) but eventually were left trailing by 11 points as both teams went into the locker room at halftime.

After the break, Petro knowing fully well that they can only advance with a six point lead increased their intensity as they got off with a couple of three point shots even as Dar City stayed close all through the penultimate quarter but Moreira's two points hookshot closed out the quarter on a positive note for the Angolans as they now lead the tie by 16 points heading into the final quarter. That point margin proved to be the difference in the entire game and by extension the series and despite Dar City eventually winning the quarter by two points, 17-15, Petro's experience and better game management saw them close out with a 14-point victory as they controlled possession better in the closing stages, won key rebounds, and forced turnovers at crucial moments to swing the aggregate series in their favour. Their disciplined finish ultimately proved enough to erase the first-leg deficit and seal qualification to the last four.

The statistics in the end showed that Petro was able to pull off a massive 19-points from Dar City's turnovers as against City's one point from the same situation. The Angolans registered a strong presence in the paint with 26 points as against City's 20 points. The bench also proved vital for Petro as they contributed a solid 45 points while City's bench could only manage eight points while the fast break points for the Angolans stood at 25 points with City managing only eight points. 

For Petro de Luanda, the victory keeps alive hopes of another continental crown and reinforces their reputation as one of Africa’s finest teams.

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[Imagery/Photgraphy - BakDal/Armand Lenoir]

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