Munali Suns are aiming to surpass Matero […]

Munali Suns are aiming to surpass Matero Magic’s Basketball Africa League (BAL) record when they return to the continental qualifiers for the 2027 edition.

Suns head into the qualifiers on the back of an impressive domestic and regional campaign, having won the National Basketball League championship and the BraveHearts tournament in Malawi. Their recent success has also seen them overcome 12-time national champions Matero Magic, who have represented Zambia at the BAL on several occasions and set the benchmark for Zambian clubs in the competition.

Munali Suns will be making their second appearance in the BAL qualifiers after debuting in 2022, with the club now hoping to progress beyond the stage previously reached by their local rivals. Matero Magic reached the best height at the BAL going out at the Elite 16 stage in 2025, while Munali are yet to attain the feat.

Speaking in an interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT), Munali Suns captain Musonda Chishala said the team was preparing thoroughly for the challenge and was determined to raise the bar for Zambian basketball.

“We need to move past what Matero Magic did so that the next team can have a better challenge and mountain to climb, and we are going to do better for the country,” Chishala said.

Chishala said the team had been studying its opponents and tracking the teams that had qualified for the competition, with the Guinea-based side being the only unfamiliar opponent in their group.

“We have been keeping track of the teams that have qualified as well as our group opponents, and we are on track. Besides the team from Guinea, which is a new addition, everything else was expected. So now our homework is to assess how they play,” he said.

 According to the fixtures seen by ZBT, Munali Suns will face Ferroviário da Beira of Mozambique, Harare Kings of Zimbabwe, REP of Guinea and Malawi’s BraveHearts. The qualifiers will also allow Suns to play on home soil, with Zambia set to host part of the tournament next month.

This will be the second time Zambia has hosted a BAL qualification tournament after Matero Magic previously hosted part of the competition. Chishala said hosting the qualifiers would provide an important platform for the club and the country while inspiring young basketball players.

“Hosting the BAL will be a great milestone for Suns and the country at large, and we are hoping that the hosting tallies with the performance on the court.”

The captain also expressed optimism that Zambia could host a later stage of the BAL in future, while stressing the need for increased investment in basketball infrastructure.

Suns’ recent dominance has raised expectations around the club, particularly after beating Matero Magic to both the Brave Hearts title and the national championship.

The question now is whether Munali Suns can translate that domestic and regional success into a deeper run on the continental stage.

 Article by Samuel Mutale