Al-Ahly Sports Cultural & Social Club (Arabic: الأهلي), also known as Al-Ahly Ly[1][2][3] or Al-Ahly Benghazi, is a Libyan basketball club that is based in Benghazi. Founded in 1950, the club competes in the Libyan Division I Basketball League and has won three championships, in 2010, 2011 and 2023.

Al-Ahly Ly
2023–24 Al Ahly Benghazi basketball season
Al-Ahly Ly logo
NicknameThe Long Journey
The Butchers
LeaguesLibyan Basketball League
BAL
Founded1950
(parent club: 1947)
HistoryAl Ahly Benghazi
(1950–present)
ArenaSuliman Darrat Arena
LocationBenghazi, Libya
Team colorsRed, White
   
ChairmanKhaled Mohamed
Head coachAoun Monaem
Championships3 (2010, 2011, 2023)
Websitealahly.com.ly

In the 2024 season, they debuted in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), becoming the first team from Libya to play in the competition. Al Ahly has won the Arab Club Championship in 2012 and 2013. Al Ahly Ly were the runners-up of the 2024 BAL season.

History

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Al-Ahly is the basketball section of the multi-sports club; the basketball section was founded in 1950, although the club had been active before. They finished third in the 2008–09 Libyan League season.[4] The club won their first national championship in 2010, and won a second consecutive one in 2011.

In 2012, Al Ahly won the Arab Club Basketball Championship, by defeating JS Kairouan of the Tunisia in the final.[5] They repeated for a second consecutive title in 2013. Both tournaments were hosted in Benghazi.

BAL finalists (2023–2024)

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Al Ahly ended a 12-year drought in 2022-23, when the club won its third national championship. As such, Al-Ahly was eligible to represent Libya in the Road to BAL 2024 tournament. They acquired high-profile players such as ex-BAL Defensive Player of the Year Ater Majok, All-BAL First Team selection Chris Crawford and two-time BAL champion Solo Diabate. On 5 November 2023, Al Ahly clinched their berth in the 2024 BAL season, following their 93–84 win over FAP in the third place game. Crawford scored 39 points in the decisive game.[6] As such, Al Ahly Benghazi became the first team from Libya to qualify for the BAL main tournament.[6]

The team acquired import players Jo Lual-Acuil, Majok Deng, Kevin Murphy and Pierre Jackson for the main BAL season. After finishing second in the Nile Conference, they entered the playoffs as the seventh seed but were able to eliminate the defending champions Al Ahly from Egypt. In the semifinal, the Rivers Hoopers from Nigeria were eliminated after overtime.[7] In the decisive final, Al Ahly lost to Petro de Luanda to finish in second place.[8] Al Ahly Ly's Jo Lual-Acuil was named the BAL Most Valuable Player of the season.

Honours

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Domestic

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Libyan Basketball League

Libyan Cup[3]

  • Winners (2): 2009–10, 2022–23

Libyan Supercup[9]

  • Winners (3): 2010, 2023, 2024[10]

International

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Basketball Africa League (BAL)

  • Runners-up (1): 2024

Arab Club Basketball Championship

  • Champions (2): 2012, 2013

In African competitions

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FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup (3 appearances)

2010 – Group Stage
2011 – Group Stage
2013 – 8th Place

Basketball Africa League (1 appearance)

2024  Silver

Road to BAL (1 appearance)

2024 – Place

Players

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Current roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Al Ahly Ly roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
G 1   Golden, Trae 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 33 – (1991-10-05)5 October 1991
C 3   Majok, Ater 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 37 – (1987-07-04)4 July 1987
SG 6   Crawford, Chris 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 32 – (1992-09-30)30 September 1992
F 8   Zeew, Adrees 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 24 – (2000-05-10)10 May 2000
PF 9   Hamad, Sofian 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 26 – (1998-10-16)16 October 1998
PG 10   Diabate, Solo 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 37 – (1987-07-21)21 July 1987
C 12   Aldirfili, Omar 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 27 – (1997-03-02)2 March 1997
C 13   Elmansouri, Anis Zaid Ali 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 29 – (1995-01-04)4 January 1995
SG 14   Aljahmi, Asmaeil 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 25 – (1999-09-28)28 September 1999
PG 19   Alrashidi, Rasheed 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 20 – (2003-12-01)1 December 2003
PF 23   Almaghribi, Ghayth Alrahman 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 25 – (1999-01-25)25 January 1999
PG 30   Benalhaj, Mahmoud Abdalla 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 33 – (1991-01-25)25 January 1991
Head coach

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  •   Injured

Updated: 2 November 2023

Head coaches

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The following people have been, among others, head coach of Al Ahly Benghazi:

References

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  1. ^ "النادي الأهلي الليبي - Al Ahly Ly SC at Facebook.com". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  2. ^ "Al-Ahly Ly SC at Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Al Ahly Ly (LIBYA)". The BAL. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  4. ^ Libya Title Goes to Al-Nasser, Basket-in-Africa.blogspot.com
  5. ^ "Arabian Clubs Basketball Championship 2012 goes to Ahli Libya". Court Side. Retrieved 25 January 2014.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b "Al Ahly Benghazi pick last ticket from the West Division to the BAL 2024 season". FIBA.basketball. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Robert Golden's five three-pointers sink Cape Town in the opener of the 2024 BAL Playoffs". The BAL. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Petro de Luanda beat Al Ahly Ly to win BAL title". ESPN.com. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  9. ^ Eurobasket. "Al Alhy Benghazi basketball, News, Roster, Rumors, Stats, Awards, Transactions, Details-afrobasket". Eurobasket LLC. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Al Ahly Benghazi clinch SuperCup title!". Eurobasket.com. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Al Alhy Benghazi Basketball Roster 2010-2011". Eurobasket LLC.
  12. ^ "Al Alhy Benghazi Basketball Roster 2017-2018". Eurobasket LLC.
  13. ^ "Al Alhy Benghazi Basketball Roster 2021-2022". Eurobasket LLC.