PRAIA (Cape Verde) - A thorough look into the history of Kriol Star tells the story of a team with a unique ability to overcome adversity.
With the team set to host the 2026 Road to BAL West Division Elite 16 in Praia from 11–16 November, now is the time to reflect on what makes this Cape Verdean team so special.
Founded a decade ago by brothers Joel and Ivan Almeida, the team's primary goal was to bring sport to disadvantaged communities, promoting inclusion and providing opportunities for vulnerable young people.
Joel, the older of the two brothers, remains a key member of the team at the age of 40.
Kriol Star is led by Antonio Moreira, a former Cape Verdean international player who represented the country at the AfroBasket tournament and has held several coaching positions with Cape Verde's men's and women's national teams.
Key players in the Kriol Star team include the sharp-shooting Joel Almeida and Dane Miller Jr, who has played in the BAL for the City Oilers, SLAC and APR.
Last year, Kriol Star were knocked out in the group phase of the Road to BAL in Tripoli after consecutive losses to Al Ahly Tripoli and Stade Malien, the latter of whom went on to win the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) title.
When it seemed that all hope was lost for the Cape Verdean team, FIBA Africa offered them a wildcard for the East Division Elite 16 in Nairobi, which they seized with open arms, eventually making remarkable history in African basketball.
Kriol Star opened their 2025 Elite 16 campaign in Nairobi with an impressive 89–58 win over Malawi's Bravehearts, but fell to the hosts, Nairobi City Thunder, on Game Day 2.
However, beating South Africa's MBB was the morale boost they desperately needed.
In the semi-finals, Kriol Star stunned the highly favoured Urunani of Burundi, which secured them a place in the 2025 BAL season and was the icing on the cake.
They experienced highs and lows in the 2025 BAL Sahara Conference, but their stunning victory over the reigning BAL champions, Petro de Luanda, on the final day of the conference cemented their place among the elite of African basketball as they secured a spot in the BAL Playoffs in their debut season.
When the West Division Elite 16 begins in Praia, one thing is for sure: Kriol Star will be put to the test once again.
FIBA