For the second game in a row, Al Ahly Ly conceded more than 100 points, prompting team captain Sofian Hamad to urge the team to regroup and bounce back.
The Libyan champions are 0-2, two games into the 2026 BAL season.
There were high expectations in Saturday’s rematch of the 2024 BAL Final, but it turned out in a one-sided affair as Petro de Luanda cruised to the 104-90 victory after leading by as many as 26 points.
“Our defence isn’t performing at the level we want just yet,” said the Al Ahly Ly captain.
“We need to analyse our mistakes and address them urgently. I still think we can improve. Hopefully, we’ll find a way.”
Saturday’s loss was Al Ahly Ly’s second since losing 103-95 to RSSB Tigers on Friday night.
Petro led from the outset while the Libyan champions struggled to find answers.
Hamad who shot 0-for-4 from the floor, admitted that “Petro de Luanda are a good team. They made it difficult for us because they have good pick-and-roll skills and play aggressive defence.”
The last time Petro de Luanda and Al Ahly Ly had faced each other in the 2024 BAL Final, the Angolans went on to lift their first BAL title.
Last year, however, Petro de Luanda came up short against Al Ahly Ly’s main domestic rivals, Al Ahli Tripoli, at the same venue where they began their 2026 BAL campaign with a morale boosting win.
“We came out with the right mindset and won the game on the defensive end. We neutralised their main scorers and forced them out of their comfort zone, which contributed to our victory,” said Petro de Luanda guard Gerson Domingos.
Domingos, who contributed 10 points and six assists, went on saying: “At this stage, I would say that there is still room for improvement, but we are on the right track.”
Childe Dundao led the Angolan champions with a team-high 27 points off the bench and Milton Valente, who scored the opening basket, added 19.
Petro de Luanda will return to action on Sunday, taking on RSSB Tigers while Al Ahly Ly will face high-flying Dar City on Tuesday, 31 March.
