TRIPOLI (Libya) - Coach Abou Chakra knows better than anyone what it takes to succeed in the Road to BAL.
As his new team, Al Ittihad of Libya, opened their Group A 2027 Road to BAL campaign with an emphatic 93–69 win over Algeria's Nadi Basket Staoueli on Wednesday, Coach Chakra recalled why consistency in the tournament matters.
Coach Chakra built a team of players proven in the BAL, and the result was clear as Al Ittihad dominated Nadi Basket Staoueli from start to finish.
One of the team's trademarks — three-point shooting — proved to be the difference between Al Ittihad and Nadi Basket Staoueli, with the Libyan champions making 13 of their 31 attempts.
New signing Keron Deshields was 4 for 7 from behind the arc, finishing with a game-high 23 points.
Al Ittihad's strong start to qualifying for the 2027 BAL season was everything Coach Chakra could have hoped for.
"People don't realise how difficult it is to qualify for the BAL. You play the group phase, then the Elite 16, and small mistakes can jeopardise the whole process," said the man who became the first coach ever to lead a team from the Road to BAL to the BAL title.
But everyone is asking: can Coach Chakra replicate his BAL success with Al Ittihad?
"It's hard," he acknowledged.
"But this is what we are working for: To go all the way to the next BAL season," noted the 2025 BAL Coach of the Year.
If Al Ittihad secure one of the top two spots in Group A, they will advance to the Elite 16 round, which will take place in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, next month.
FIBA