CONAKRY (Guinea) - Following the conclusion of the recent tournament organized by the Guinean Basketball Federation to determine which team represents the country at the West Division Elite 16 Round of the Road to BAL, Seydou Legacy Athletique Club (SLAC) proved their mettle.

SLAC defeated Bafing Mamou 83-66 to win the tournament and qualified for the third time in a row for the Elite 16 round.

The Guinean national champions had to see off Kankan's formidable and amazing Milo team which was staunch and resistant to SLAC for the first 3 periods before crashing in the last quarter and bowing 62 - 43 in the Semi-Final.

SLAC's opponent in the final Bafing Mamou had to stop Club Ratoma Basket club (Conakry) 64 -36.

After featuring in the last two editions of the BAL, SLAC no doubt have learned the hard way from when it first entered a continental competition in 2019 during the FIBA-run Africa League Basket (ABL) qualifiers, where they missed out on the knock-out stages after three straight losses to Tunisia's JS Kairouan, Rivers Hoopers of Nigeria, and to eventual ABL finalists Association Sportive de Rades of Morocco.

After another setback (1-2) in the 2019 edition of the Road to BAL, SLAC capitalized from their experience to finish 4-2 in 2021 and qualify for the BAL Season Two.

SLAC which reached the 2022 BAL Quarter-Finals will seek to take their ambitions a step further despite their long-term Coach Zeljko Zecevic rejoining AS Sale, a team he left in 2019.

Aside from their Coach's departure to AS Sale, the team also lost some key players. However, it did not stop the team from staying the best club side in the country.

SLAC appeared in the last two editions of the BAL

SLAC Captain, Alseny Bah who led his side to victory in the Guinea Tournament told FIBA.basketball that he feels honored to have led his team to another national title and a qualification for the Elite 16 Round.

"It is a feeling of honor and pride as captain to help my team achieve these goals. I think it's also a goal to win a sixth national title and a fifth ticket for the BAL."

Speaking on the setback of their former team coach and key players leaving, the 2.01m (6ft 7in) forward who also stars for the Guinea national team, noted that self-confidence was the team’s driving force.

Alseny Bah

"I would tell you it is not magic but self-confidence and the hard work of the group and our aim this year is first to qualify for the eighth elite finals and then to go for the trophy. Going by our previous experience, our biggest challenge is nothing other than going to play the final of the BAL competition and winning the trophy,” Alseny stated with some level of confidence.

For SLAC President, Aboubakar Keita, the team’s qualification is another opportunity to improve on the team’s records.

"Our goal is to secure a ticket for the BAL Season 4 and maintain our club at the highest level in Africa."

"After the departure of the coach and some of our key players such as the ex-captain (Fofana) the challenge is huge but we hope to make it again. We are actively preparing our participation for the Elite 16,” Keita said.

FIBA