Nairobi City Thunder signed off their 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Kalahari Conference campaign with an impressive 101–92 victory over Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers, handing the previously unbeaten side their first loss of the tournament on Sunday in a game that was live on NBS Sport.
Despite the result, Thunder’s 2–3 record was not enough to secure a playoff berth, as they finished fifth in the six-team standings.
The Tigers, who had already booked their place in the playoffs on Friday alongside Petro de Luanda from Angola, topped the table with four wins and one loss.
In Sunday’s game, Thunder delivered one of their most complete performances of the tournament, combining offensive efficiency with balanced scoring.
Derrick Ogechi led all scorers with 22 points, including a decisive 14-point contribution in the second half after putting up nine before the break.
The Kenyan side had set the tone early, dominating the first half with three players hitting double figures. Captain Tylor Ogwae scored 14 points in that opening stretch, while Joshua Nzeakor added 13 and Lance Thomas chipped in with 10.
Thunder maintained their momentum after halftime, with Garang Diing also finishing with 14 points. Ogwae ended the game with 17, Thomas added 14, and Nzeakor posted 21 points alongside eight rebounds. Eugene Adera orchestrated the offense with a game-high eight assists.
Speaking after the game, Thunder head coach Brad Ibs expressed satisfaction with his team’s progress despite falling short of the playoffs.
“We have played some good basketball in this tournament. Despite not qualifying for the play-offs, we have improved on last year’s performance. We will work on our mistakes, and we will be a solid team,” Ibs said.
On the opposite bench, Tigers head coach Henry Mwinuka pointed to squad rotation and injuries as factors behind the defeat. “We played a hard game yesterday, and some of my players, like Ntore Habimana, got injured in the third quarter,” he noted.
The Tigers were also without key contributor Craig Randall II, who had set two BAL records in their previous 104–92 win over Dar City, as well as Teafale Lenard Jr.
The result marked a notable milestone for Thunder, who not only handed the Tigers their only defeat of the conference but also recorded their first 100-point game of the tournament.
It capped an improved showing for the Kenyan club, who were making their second BAL appearance after finishing 1–5 in their debut campaign in Kigali. Their 2–3 record this year brings their overall BAL tally to 3–8.
Thunder’s earlier victory in the tournament came against hosts Johannesburg Giants, whom they defeated 71–65.
However, they opened their campaign with a 90–85 loss to Tanzanian side Dar City, followed by a heavy 97–70 defeat to Angolan giants Petro de Luanda, and a 107–80 loss to Libya’s Al Ahly Ly.
In the final standings, the Tigers and Petro de Luanda both finished with identical 4–1 records, with Petro securing second place.
Al Ahly Ly (3–2) and Dar City (2–3) claimed the remaining playoff spots, while Thunder (2–3) and the winless Johannesburg Giants (0–5) were eliminated.
In the last game of the conference, Petro de Luanda defeated the Giants to confirm their four-win tally, while the hosts ended the campaign without a victory.
Attention now shifts to the BAL Playoffs and Finals, scheduled for May 22–31 at the BK Arena. The event will once again be held in Kigali, marking the sixth consecutive season Rwanda hosts the league’s climax, featuring the top eight teams from both the Kalahari and Sahara conferences.
The Sahara Conference is set to run from April 24 to May 3 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex. The group will include hosts FUS Rabat alongside Al Ahly, ASC Ville de Dakar, debutants Club Africain and JCA Kings, as well as Nigeria’s Maktown Flyers.
