2024 BNL season

The 2024 BNL season was the 11th season of the Basketball National League (BNL), the top-flight basketball league in South Africa. The season began on June 22, 2024, and ended with the last game of the finals series on October 20, 2024.

2024 BNL season
League	Basketball National League
Sport	Basketball
Duration	June 22 – September 28, 2024 (group stage) October 12–20, 2024 (final round)
Number of teams	11
Season MVP	Sifiso Gininda (Marlins)
Playoffs
Finals champions	KwaZulu Marlins (2nd title)
Runners-up	Mpumalanga Rhinos

The Cape Town Tigers were the defending champions, but were unable to defend their title as they withdrew from the league.

The KwaZulu Marlins won their second championship, its first in 27 years, as they had won their first title in the Premier League of 1997.^[1]

Team changes

The league existed out of 11 teams. The BNL decided to enforce a promotion and relegation system and as such the last-ranked Eastern Cape Windbreakers were not part of the league this season, and MBB from Johannesburg joined the league. The defending champions Cape Town Tigers withdrew from the league, citing budgetary constraints.^[2]

Group stage

The schedule was announced on June 9, 2024.^[3]

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Mpumalanga Rhinos	4	4	0	279	218	+61	8	Advance to semi-finals
2	Limpopo Pride	4	3	1	228	213	+15	7
3	MBB	4	2	2	235	237	−2	6	Advance to semi-finals
4	Soweto Panthers	4	1	3	217	251	−34	5
5	Free State Warriors	4	0	4	207	247	−40	4
6	Northwest Eagles	4	0	4	248	323	−75	4

Source: Afrobasket.com

Group B

Multiple games in Group B were not played and technical defeats were given.

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	KwaZulu Marlins	5	5	0	399	309	+90	10	Advance to semi-finals
2	Western Cape Mountaineers	5	3	2	375	334	+41	8
3	Egoli Magic	3	2	1	178	174	+4	5
4	Tshwane Suns	5	2	3	345	360	−15	7	Advance to semi-finals
5	Northern Cape Zebras	4	1	3	243	288	−45	5

Source: Afrobasket.com

Playoffs

The playoffs began with the semifinals on October 12 and 13, 2024, in Johannesburg.^[4]

	Semi-finals						Final
	Mpumalanga	67	66	133
	Tshwane Suns	68	42	110
							Mpumalanga Rhinos	55	68	123
							KwaZulu Marlins	86	71	157
	KwaZulu Marlins	78	74	152
	MBB	59	67	126

References

1. @bnlsa (20 October 2024). "Kwa-Zulu Marlins are the 2024 Men's Champions! [...]" – via Instagram.
2. Basketball National League [@bnlsa] (14 June 2024). "We're thrilled to share the revised 2024 BNL fixture with you! Note that Cape Town Tigers are excluded, and EC Windbreakers have been relegated. Stay tuned for more updates and let the games begin!" – via Instagram.
3. Basketball National League [@bnlsa] (9 June 2024). "BNL Schedule 2024" – via Instagram.
4. "Stats – Basketball National League". Retrieved 14 October 2024.