D’Tigers forward Devine Eke has officially signed with Senegalese club ASC Ville de Dakar for the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season 5 Sahara Conference, parting ways with Nigerian champions Rivers Hoopers.
Eke, who was instrumental in Hoopers’ third-place finish last season, expressed gratitude to the club, saying they still hold a special place in his heart. The 28-year-old averaged 16.6 points and 11.3 rebounds per game last season, earning him a spot on the All-BAL Second Team.
In a statement confirming his move, Eke said, “Yes, it’s 100 per cent official that I have signed. Playing in the BAL was an amazing opportunity for my first year. I experienced so much and grew in such little time that I knew I wanted to play again. When the opportunity with ASC Ville de Dakar came, I was excited to join and continue to grow basketball in Africa.”
Eke, who most recently played for the San Diego Clippers, also spent time with several G League teams including the Santa Cruz Warriors, Delaware Blue Coats, Mexico City Capitanes, and the Clippers. He credited the G League with teaching him the value of patience and hard work.
The forward will reunite with former Rivers Hoopers teammate Will Perry at ASC Ville de Dakar as the team prepares for the Sahara Conference.
While the Kalahari Conference is already underway in Rabat, Morocco, the Sahara Conference will follow, with the Nile Conference in Kigali scheduled for May 17–25. The BAL playoffs will take place in Pretoria, South Africa, from June 6–14.