The Basketball Africa League, in partnership with PETROSEN, inaugurated a renovated basketball court at Université Gaston Berger (UGB) in Saint-Louis on Wednesday 30 September. The project is the first of six planned court constructions and renovations spread across Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, aimed at giving young people access to high-quality sports facilities.
BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall said the choice of Saint-Louis as the starting point carried special meaning. "Nous sommes ravis que cette ouverture s'opère ici, dans la cité de Saint-Louis," he said, pointing to the city's emblematic past and its growing role in Senegal's energy outlook. He added that the partnership goes beyond professional basketball. "Nous allons au-delà d'une simple ligue professionnelle; ce type de partenariat nous permet d'apporter une contribution au développement global de nos communautés," Fall said.
PETROSEN Holding SA chief executive Thierno Seydou Ly highlighted his company's broader engagement in Saint-Louis, including oil and gas projects and a vehicle inspection centre. "La première ressource dont dispose un pays, ce sont ses jeunes," he said, framing sport as a way to create new opportunities.
Hassane Diakhaté, director of UGB's UFR des sciences de l'éducation, de la formation et du sport, welcomed the upgrade, recalling that the multi-sport hall had become nearly obsolete. The court is used for teaching as well as by local basketball, handball and volleyball leagues, and the works improved the playing surface, lighting and electronic equipment, he said. UGB also has an Olympic-sized pool and a gymnasium on campus.
