[FuzzyRussianHat]

WAB’s Western League had a major shakeup with three new squads earning the playoff spots. Abidjan, who had won the WL pennant the prior three years, fell to eighth place at 73-89. Freetown, who had been in six straight WLCS, tied for sixth at 81-81. Accra, who had back-to-back wild cards, dropped to ninth at 72-90.

Kumasi finished first place at 96-66, ending a three-year playoff drought. Second place was 89-73 Cape Verde, taking their first playoff appearance since 1993. Bamako ended a drought back to 1992, securing third and the final playoff spot at 86-76. The Bullfrogs edged out Nouakchott by three games and Monrovia by four games.

Repeating as Western League MVP was Kumasi DH Mo Reda. The 24-year old Egyptian lefty led in runs (130), home runs (49), RBI (152), total bases (396), slugging (.643), OPS (1.033), and wRC+ (186). Reda added 7.5 WAR and a .338 average. The Monkeys in the offseason extended their slugger for eight years and $19,240,000. Tenth-year Freetown righty Patrick Tchuisse was Pitcher of the Year. The 29-year old Cameroonian righty had a 16-10 record over 233 innings, 2.70 ERA, 270 strikeouts, and 6.1 WAR.

Cape Verde edged Bamako 2-1 in the wild card round, sending the Vulcans to the Western League Championship Series for only the second time (1988). Kumasi was making their first WLCS appearance since their 1998 title. Cape Verde pulled off the upset 3-1 over the Monkeys for their first-ever pennant. The Vulcans entered the season as the only WL team that hadn’t yet gotten to the final.



Five-time defending Eastern League champ and reigning WAB champ Kano yet again cruised to first place in the standings, going 106-56. Lome was a distant second at 94-68, ending a playoff drought dating back to 1990. Niamey narrowly took third at 89-73, edging Lagos by two games. The Atomics had their fourth wild cards in five years. Ibadan’s 12-year postseason streak snapped with a seventh place finish at 77-85. The Iguanas streak was the second longest in WAB history to date behind Kumasi’s 14-year stretch from 1978-91.

Kano SS Darwin Morris won a historic eighth Eastern League MVP and his sixth in-a-row. The 30-year old Liberian pulled it off despite missing six weeks to a strained hamstring. Morris was the WARlord at 9.4, his ninth straight year leading in WAR and earning 9+. He added 35 home runs, 101 runs, a 183 wRC+, and a .322/.405/.653 slash.

Lome’s Emma Markson won Pitcher of the Year in his fourth season. The 25-year old Nigerian lefty led in WAR (6.8), WHIP (0.99), and FIP- (74). Markson added a 3.16 ERA over 250.1 innings with 317 strikeouts and a 20-9 record. He’d earn a six-year, $18,560,000 extension after the 2003 season, but back issues would force Markson into a relief role in his later years.

Niamey upset Lome 2-0 in the wild card round for their first Eastern League Championship Series spot since 1988. Kano was playing in their eighth straight ELCS and would continue their reign. The Atomics took them to the brink, but the Condors won it 3-2 for a sixth consecutive pennant. Kano has 10 Western League titles to their name now, passing Lagos to stand alone with the most.



For the first time since 1993, the West African Championship needed all seven games. Cape Verde had a spirited effort trying to win their first title, but Kano’s dynasty continued with the 4-3 win. The Condors repeated as WAB champs and won their fifth championship in six years. Kano now has eight overall titles (1975, 76, 86, 97, 98, 99, 01, 02), tied for the most with Lagos. 3B Arnaud Aho repeated as finals MVP with the 34-year old Beninois slugger making 12 playoff starts with 17 hits, 8 runs, 3 doubles, 4 home runs, and 8 RBI.



Other notes: Cape Verde 1B Ifeanyi Adeleke had an impressive playoff run, winning WLCS MVP. The 30-year old Nigerian set still-standing WAB playoff records for home runs (10), RBI (22), and total bases (58). Adeleke also sit the record for hits (25), and runs (15), posting an impressive 319 wRC+, 1.7 WAR, and .417/.426/.967 slash over 14 starts. He would lose the hit and run marks, although they remain top five postseason efforts. This would be the career highlight for Adeleke, who wouldn’t be the same after a torn PCL suffered the next year. 2B Fausto Pyagbara won his eighth Gold Glove. Darwin Morris won a ninth Silver Slugger.