JCA Kings
| JCA Kings | |
|---|---|
| League | Ligue d'Or |
| Founded | 2010 |
| History | Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan 2010–2025 JCA Kings 2025–present |
| Location | Abidjan, Ivory Coast |
| Team colours | Navy and Old Gold |
| President | Ismaël Cissé |
| Team manager | Carlo Viera |
| Head coach | Stéphane Konaté |
| Championships | 1 Ligue d'Or 2 Ivorian Cups |
JCA Kings, formerly known as Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan (in English: Abidjan Youth Club), is an Ivorian basketball team based in Abidjan. They play in the Ligue d'Or and in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) following their qualification in 2026.
JCA has won one national championship, in 2025, and five Ivorian Cups. It made its BAL debut in the 2026 season.
History
The team was founded in 2010 by Carlo Viera and Moussa Diarra, with the aim of developing local basketball, as well as to challenge the national dominance of ABC Fighters, who had won the national championship twenty times.[1] In the first years of the team, JCA reached the finals of the Ligue d'Or, but lost three times in a row between 2010 and 2012.
After some years in relative obscurity, they had a breakthrough season in the 2022–23 season, when they reached the finals once again, but lost to ABC, 0–2. In 2023, JCA won its first trophy when they won the Ivorian Cup.
Ahead of the 2024–25 season, the club signed Stéphane Konaté as its new head coach.[2] The team went on to win their first league title, after defeating SOA in the finals.[3]
As the winners of the national league, JCA qualified for the Road to BAL in 2025, and made its international debut on 18 October with a win against Ghanaian team Spintex Knights.[4] The Kings qualified for the 2026 BAL season on 15 November, after they defeated the Spintex Knights again, and thus became the second Ivorian team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League (BAL).[5]
The team was later acquired by Ismaël Adam Cissé who professionalized the organization. It eventually also led to the rebranding of the team as JCA Kings.[6]
Honours
- Champions (1): 2024–25
- Runners-up (4): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2023
Ivorian Basketball Cup[7]
- Winners (5): 2010, 2011, 2012, 2023, 2025 (National Cup)
Ivorian Super Cup
- Winners (1): 2024
District Cup
- Winners (1): 2015
References
- ^ "Team profile: Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan aims to continue its impressive run". www.fiba.basketball. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ Lehohla, Manyehlisa (3 June 2025). "Konaté itches for more success after historic season with JCA". The Big Tip Off. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ GONLI, Donald (10 May 2025). "Basket-ball: La JCA double champion de Côte d'Ivoire grâce à un coaching gagnant de Stéphane Konaté". www.linfodrome.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
- ^ "Jeunesse Club d'Abidjan Team Profile - FIBA Africa Champions Clubs ROAD TO B.A.L 2026 | FIBA Basketball". www.fiba.basketball. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
- ^ "Jeuness Club d'Abidjan becomes second Ivorian team to qualify for the BAL". www.fiba.basketball. 16 November 2025. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
- ^ "JCA Kings (CôTE D'IVOIRE)". The BAL. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
- ^ "Basketball: Les vainqueurs de la Coupe nationale célébrés - Sport.abidjan.net". sports.abidjan.net (in French). Retrieved 14 November 2025.