SOURCE: Ahashie Judeliver Eli
The Spintex Knights, reigning champions of the Accra Basketball League, are poised to make a historic run in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2025 qualifiers.
As the first Ghanaian team to participate in the “On the Road to BAL” tournament, the Knights are set to compete in Libya from October 8 to 15, with the ultimate goal of securing a top-two finish to advance to the Elite 16 in Côte d’Ivoire.
Head coach Selorm Thomas is brimming with confidence as the team prepares for the competition. In an interview with Happy Sports, Coach Thomas expressed, “We are ready, we’ve been practicing all week, and we know we are prepared. Our experiences from previous travels to Nigeria and Ivory Coast have shown that we can compete with the best, and this time, we are even more determined.”
Reigning Accra Basketball league champions @spintexknights are set to make HISTORY as First Ghanaian Team to compete in the qualifiers of the BAL 2025 (Road To BAL 2025)
— Happy Sports (@HappySportsGh) October 4, 2024
Head Coach, @selormklay11 shared his team’s Preparation.#HappySports#BAL2025 pic.twitter.com/Pz5EwxviDN
Despite their optimism, the road to the BAL has not been without its challenges, particularly financial ones. Co-Founder of Spintex Knights, Dr. Eric Opoku-Antwi, revealed that the team faces significant costs to participate in the tournament. “Just the flight tickets alone amount to $26,000 for a team of 20. On top of that, we need to pay $1,500 in registration fees per member, $3,000 for visas on arrival, and $60 per player for accommodation and feeding, bringing the total cost to approximately $40,000,” Dr. Opoku-Antwi explained in an interview sighted by Happy Sports.
These financial demands have put a strain on the team’s preparations, even as they remain focused on their performance. Dr. Opoku-Antwi has made a public appeal for support, acknowledging that the Knights’ dream of representing Ghana at the continental stage requires more than just hard work and determination. “We aspire to represent Ghana at the highest level, and we’re working tirelessly towards that goal. However, we also need financial assistance to make this dream a reality,” he said.
The Knights are grouped with Côte d’Ivoire’s ABC Fighters, Elan Coton from Benin, and Mighty Barrolle from Liberia in Group B of the Western Division. As they aim to qualify for the Elite 16 stage of the 2025 BAL, the team is determined to overcome both on-court and off-court challenges.