The landscape of the Basketball Africa League’s Kalahari Conference has shifted dramatically since the beginning of the week. As the group stage at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria heads toward its climax today, the early invincibility of the tournament's debutants has been shattered, blowing the race for the playoffs wide open.

Here is everything that has unfolded on the hardwood since March 30th.

The Big Upset: Dar City’s Flawless Run Ends The biggest shockwaves of the week arrived on Tuesday, March 31st, when Tanzanian champions Dar City suffered their first defeat of the tournament. After roaring to a 2-0 start over the weekend, they were brought back down to earth by Libya’s Al Ahly Ly in a high-scoring 118-97 shootout.

The Libyan side set the tone immediately, racing out to a commanding 17-4 lead in the opening quarter and forcing Dar City head coach Mamadou Gueye into an early timeout. A sluggish start and a brutal 0-for-5 shooting stretch severely hampered the East Africans. By halftime, Dar City found themselves in a massive 51-34 hole.

Despite the loss, Dar City showcased incredible individual resilience. Michael Foster delivered an absolute masterclass, pouring in a game-high 37 points. He was supported by David Michineau (20 points) and Junior Madut (18 points off the bench), but they simply could not contain an incredibly efficient Al Ahly Ly offense led early on by Donovan Williams.

Al Ahly Ly Breathes Life into Their Campaign For Al Ahly Ly, Tuesday’s dominant victory was the ultimate lifeline. After opening the tournament with back-to-back losses against the RSSB Tigers and Petro de Luanda, the Libyan champions were staring down the barrel of early elimination. By taking down the previously undefeated Dar City, they have significantly boosted their chances of securing one of the four coveted playoff spots with two games remaining.

The Stakes for the  Easter Weekend As we head into today's crucial fixtures, the pressure has reached a boiling point:

• The Angolan Test: Dar City must quickly regroup from Tuesday's setback. Tonight, they face their most physical challenge yet against Angola's battle-hardened Petro de Luanda.

• The Final Scramble: Tomorrow (Saturday, April 4), Dar City will close out their group stage against Rwanda's high-flying RSSB Tigers.

• Host Survival: The Johannesburg Giants and Nairobi City Thunder continue their desperate scramble to secure results and stay alive in the bracket as the Kalahari phase concludes this Sunday.

The honeymoon phase is officially over. With the playoffs in Kigali looming, every single possession this weekend will dictate who survives the Kalahari Conference.