Al Ahly Egypt coached by Λίνος Γαβριήλ continued its remarkable season by securing a place in the Final Four of the Basketball Africa League after an impressive 87-76 victory over ASC Ville de Dakar in Kigali, Rwanda.
Al Ahly once again showed the defensive discipline, toughness, and composure that have consistently defined Gavriel’s teams throughout his coaching career.
In the semifinals, the Egyptian champions will face tournament favorites RSSB Tigers of Rwanda, who advanced after surviving a dramatic series against FUS Rabat. Playing at home in front of a packed BK Arena crowd, the Rwandan side is widely viewed as one of the strongest contenders for the BAL title.
On the other side of the bracket, Al Ahly Libya coached by veteran Greek elite coach Fotis Katsikaris will face Angolan powerhouse Petro de Luanda, one of Africa’s most successful basketball clubs.
For Gavriel, this season represents another chapter in a career built on overcoming the odds. After leading a Bahraini club to the historic 2023 FIBA Asia Champions Cup title — considered one of the biggest surprises in FIBA club history given Bahrain’s size and basketball resources — he now has a chance to compete for the BAL title, the African league operating under the umbrella of the NBA.
If he succeeds, it would become an extremely rare — perhaps unique — achievement in international club basketball.
Gavriel already holds a remarkable distinction as the only coach in history to appear in back-to-back FIBA Intercontinental Cup tournaments with two different clubs, in 2022 and 2023.
His first season in Egypt has already been historic. Al Ahly captured the Egyptian Championship, the Super Cup, and the Morthabet Cup while displaying the defensive identity, discipline, and winning mentality that have become trademarks of Gavriel’s teams.
With trophies and success across Europe, Asia, and Africa, Linos Gavriel continues to prove why he is regarded as one of the most successful and consistent winning coaches working internationally today.
