KIGALI (Rwanda) - Nine teams have already secured their spots for the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) in March, and three more teams will follow suit this week in Kigali, Rwanda.

The seven-team (following the withdrawal of Kenya Ports Authority) East Division of BAL's 'Elite 16' qualifiers will get underway on Tuesday, December 17, and run through December 22 at the newly-built 10,000 seater Kigali Arena.

Seven countries, mostly from the East region of Africa, will be represented in the Kigali showdown with Patriots Basketball playing as hosts. Other teams include Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club (GNBC) of Madagascar, Ferroviario de Maputo of Mozambique, Cobra from South Sudan, University of Zambia Pacers from Zambia, JKT from Tanzania and Uganda's City Oilers.

Teams have been divided into two groups (A and B) of four and three with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Semi-Finals, where the teams that finish in the first three places will qualify for the BAL's regular season in March 2020.

In the build-up to the highly-anticipated final qualification phase, one question remains unanswered. Who will grab the last three tickets for BAL's first-ever regular season? 

Although it is hard to predict who will finish in the top-three on Sunday, we cannot deny that hosts Patriots - based on their pre-qualifiers campaign and a few adjustments made in recent weeks -  could be among the frontrunners alongside Ferroviario de Maputo and City Oilers from Uganda.

Nevertheless, Cobra, JKT, GNBC and Pacers should not be overlooked, considering the importance of the tournament. As celebrated NBA coach Rudy Tomjanovich once proclaimed: "Do not underestimate the heart of a champion" and this regional play-off is in fact a celebration of basketball champions. 

HOW THEY QUALIFIED TO THE 'ELITE 16'               

As the champions of their respective leagues, the seven participating teams earned automatic qualification to BAL's pre-qualifiers.

Ferroviario de Maputo and Patriots Basketball advanced to the Last 16 without a taste of defeat.

In Dar es Salaam, the Rwandan champions sealed four wins in as many games including triumph over City Oilers (3-1). Both teams qualified automatically to the Second Round while JKT (2-2) benefited from a wild card. 

In Antananarivo, Kenya Ports Authority reigned supreme, topping Group F with four wins in as many games, Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club (3-1) came in second. Cobra were awarded wild card for the Second Round.

Meanwhile in Johannesburg, Ferroviario de Maputo cruised to a 5-0 campaign, while University of Zambia Pacers came second with a 4-1 mark. 

HOW TO WATCH THE GAMES         

FIBA will show all games on its Youtube and Facebook platforms, and it will also offer live commentary from Kigali Arena.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

BAL, a competition introduced by the NBA in partnership with FIBA, came to revolutionise the game of basketball on the continent of Africa, and none wants to miss out on the historic event. 

Champions from Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia earned outright qualification to BAL's regular season, while six other teams were through qualifier tournaments. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

 There'll be an endless list of must-watch players at Kigali Arena. Some have built their names across Africa over the course of the past few years.

Here are some suggestions: Ugandan internationals Jimmy Enabu, Robinson Opong (City Oilers), sharpshooter Keneth Gasana and his fellow Rwandan international Aristides Mugabe, experienced Octavio Magolico and his Ferroviario de Maputo teammate Alvaro Calvo Masa, who featured for Spain youth teams - just to mention a few.

LATEST NEWS                       

Patriots made significant adjustments to the team that went unbeaten in the pre-qualifiers in October. Henry Mwinuka who coached the team since December 2015 joined local rivals REG Basketball, having been replaced by Francis Odhiambo. In addition, the Rwandan champions signed 2,02m (6ft 8in) forward Jean Victor Mukama, who last played for Canada's Ryerson University.

But Patriots weren't the only ones making changes to their roster. Uganda champions City Oilers brought in two new faces in Devonte Elliot, Trey Petty, and Ivan Lumanyika. 

And Malagasy side GNBC made sure to reinforce their roster with the arrivals of Rick-Ley Loubacky and Alpha Solondrany, who last featured for local side COSPN. 

WHAT THEY SAID                           

"We thought we wanted guys who can read the game and guys who can score and make plays and that’s what we have with these guys," City Oilers head coach Mandy Juruni.

Mandy Juruni (City Oilers)

"We are going to face three quality teams who count on tall players. For what we have noticed so far, it will be a tough competition. But we are also going to be a tough team to beat. We are two-time [Mozambique] champions. We are humble, and we are going to try to become one of the three teams to qualify, " Ferroviario de Maputo head coach Milagre Macome.

Milagre Macome (Ferroviario de Maputo)

"We are motivated and determined to do well, and, if we can win our opening game, it would give us more confidence going into the remaining fixtures," Patriots Basketball captains Aristides Mugabe.

Take your seats, the show is about to begin.

FIBA