Alpha Bangura (born February 4, 1980) is an American Sierra Leone basketball player who competed as a member of the Libya national basketball team at the FIBA Africa Championship 2009[1][2] and playing professionally for Anibal Zahle of the Lebanese Basketball League. He recently played for the Air21 Express of the Philippine Basketball Association as an import.
'Alpha Bangura played NCAA basketball at St. John's University for two years after starting his career at Monmouth University.[3] Following his college career, Bangura has played professional basketball in the United States with the CBA and USBL and overseas in Portugal, Israel, Spain, Japan, Puerto Rico, Lebanon, Kuwait, Venezuela, and recently in the Philippines for the Air21 Express.[4] In 2008-09, Bangura spent most of the year with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League, averaging 18.9 points per game over 26 games before being traded to the Bakersfield Jam for the last nine games of the season.[5] In 2010 he signed with Sporting Al Riyadi Beirut playing his first match in the league against runner ups Al Mouttahed Tripoli. He signed for Anibal Zahle in the Lebanese Basketball League for the 2010-11 season.[6] He played his first game against his former team Sagesse.
Bangura was one of the most consistent members of the Libyan team that finished 11th as the host country in the 2009 FIBA Africa Championship. He averaged 14.4 points per game over six games for the Libyans before only playing one minute in two games the consolation bracket.[7] Bangura scored a game high 25 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the opening game against South Africa to send the Libyans into the eighth finals.[8] Bangura again scored a game high 23 points in a two point victory Libyan over Egypt in the eighth finals, its only victory in that round.[9]
He was signed by the Air21 Express as their 2nd import for the 2011 PBA Commissioner's Cup. He led the team to the semi-finals after beating the Alsaka Aces 2-1. However, they got swept by the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 3-0. He played again for them in the 2011 PBA Governors Cup, but he was unable to help them get a single win.
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