Nairobi City Thunder win first ever BAL game
Nairobi City Thunder became the first Kenyan side to win a Basketball Africa League game after an 85-76 upset over South Africa’s Made By Ball - leaving the visitors’ playoff hopes on the brink.
Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) made Basketball Africa League (BAL) history on Saturday, defeating South Africa’s Made By Ball (MBB) 85-76 to register Kenya’s first-ever win in the continental competition.
The result not only etched NCT into the record books but also dealt a major blow to MBB’s playoff ambitions. The South Africans, who needed a win to seal early qualification for the Pretoria playoffs, now face a must-win final group game against conference leaders Al Ahli Tripoli. Failure to triumph there could see South Africa miss out entirely on postseason representation.
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The match started in worrying fashion for MBB. A flurry of turnovers allowed Thunder to race to a 13-3 lead, fuelled by quick transitions and sharp shooting. However, Teafale Lenard Jr. stepped up for MBB, scoring 14 points in the first quarter to help his side recover and lead 24-20 by the end of the period.
MBB briefly found rhythm early in the second quarter, but it didn’t last. NCT, led by the impressive Albert Odero and Yohane Kabongo, regained control and entered halftime with a narrow 41-39 advantage. On his 27th birthday, MBB’s usually dominant rebounder Nathi Sibanyoni struggled to make an impact.
The third quarter remained tightly contested. Lenard Jr. continued to carry MBB on both ends of the court, but it was NCT’s Uchenna Iroegbu who stole the moment - draining a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Kenyan side a 55-54 edge heading into the final ten minutes.
The fourth quarter saw Thunder shift into a higher gear. Odero and Garang Diing delivered back-to-back dunks, and a composed free throw stretch pushed the score to 66-58 with seven minutes remaining. Diing’s soft hook widened the gap to double digits as MBB’s grip loosened under pressure.
Lenard Jr. attempted to mount a late comeback, producing crucial baskets in the dying minutes. But the support cast fell short, and NCT held firm to seal a famous victory.
NCT's hopes of advancing are mathematically slim - they must beat Rwanda’s APR by a wide margin and rely on other favourable results.
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