Pretoria: Petro de Luanda's coach, Sérgio Valdeomillos, reflected positively on the team's participation in the Kalahari Conference tournament, a qualifier for the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The team secured their place in the continent's premier club competition for the sixth time with four wins and one loss. According to Angola Press News Agency, alongside Petro, teams such as Tigers of Rwanda, Al Ahly of Libya, and Dar City of Tanzania also qualified. These teams will join four others from a separate conference to compete for the continental title in May in Kigali, Rwanda. Sérgio Valdeomillos provided an overview of the competition held in Pretoria, South Africa, from March 27th to April 5th. Petro de Luanda concluded the event by defeating the Johannesburg Giants 105-61. Valdeomillos noted the tournament's competitive nature, highlighting the surprising first-place finish by the Tigers of Rwanda, defying predictions favoring Petro and Al Ahly of Libya. Despite a narrow defeat (78-82) to the Tigers , which placed Petro in second position, Valdeomillos emphasized the team's progress compared to previous editions. He pointed out the substantial increase in national players forming the team's core, a shift from their prior participation in the Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal, where they finished third. The coach recognized the importance of teamwork within the squad, noting that the sole setback was a result of defensive lapses. Winger Aboubakar Gakou voiced the team's determination to reclaim the African title, previously lost to Libya's Al Ahly. Gakou, who delivered a double-double in the last game with 18 points and 10 rebounds, believes that the team's cohesion could lead them to their second BAL victory, with their last win in 2024. Throughout the tournament, Gakou was instrumental, scoring 59 points and playing a key role in the team's qualification.