- Nairobi City Thunder remain winless in the ongoing 2025 Basketball Africa League Nile Conference in Kigali.
- Garang Diing believes it’s not over yet, with three matches left to fight for a playoff spot.
- Thunder face Al Ahli Tripoli on May 22, MBB on May 24, and wrap up against APR Rwanda on May 25.
Nairobi City Thunder guard Garang Diing Akol Diing remains optimistic that his team can overturn their fortunes in the ongoing 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) Nile Conference in Kigali, Rwanda and secure a spot in next month’s Playoffs/finals in South Africa.
Thunder’s performance in Kigali has been underwhelming so far, with the Kenyan champions losing all three of their opening matches, making them the only team in the four-team conference yet to record a victory.
Their narrowest defeat came on Tuesday evening when they fell 74-75 to Made By Basketball (MBB) of South Africa in a nail-biting finish.
Prior to that, they had suffered heavy defeats: a 63-92 loss to Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya and a 87-115 blowout by hosts APR Rwanda.
With three games remaining, Thunder must win them all to stay in playoff contention. Their fate also hinges on whether MBB falters in their upcoming fixtures.
Thunder’s schedule resumes on Thursday, May 22, when they face Al Ahli Tripoli. They will then meet MBB on Saturday, May 24, and conclude the group stage against APR Rwanda on Sunday, May 25.
Reflecting on the heart-wrenching loss to MBB, Diing admitted that conceding a late basket was a bitter pill to swallow, but emphasized that the team remains determined to grow from the experience.
We managed to control the game for nearly 39 minutes, and then came that final shot – we didn’t have the right coverage in the corner. It’s a tough one to accept but we’ll take it as a learning moment,” said the South Sudanese guard in an interview with The News Times Rwanda.
ALSO READ: Opong’s buzzer-beater crushes Nairobi City Thunder’s BAL playoff hopes
Diing, 24, also praised MBB for their resilience, noting how they clawed back from an 18-point deficit in the final quarter to clinch victory.
“They really fought back. They didn’t back down or lose focus. We tried to hold onto our lead, but we couldn’t contain them in the end. Kudos to them. As for us, we’ll learn and move forward,” he added.
Looking ahead, Diing stressed the importance of reflection, preparation, and tactical adjustments if Thunder hopes to keep their campaign alive.
Now it’s time to go back, analyze game footage, and correct our mistakes. We need to sharpen our strengths and improve our execution. This was just the beginning – three games down, three more to go. I still believe we are in the race,” he reiterated with confidence.
Nairobi City Thunder – BAL 2025 Group Stage Schedule & Results
(All times local / EAT)
Results
Saturday, May 17, 2025: APR (Rwanda) 92-63 Nairobi City Thunder
Sunday, May 18, 2025: Nairobi City Thunder 87-115 Al Ahli SC (Libya)
Tuesday, May 20, 2025: Nairobi City Thunder 74-75 MBB (South Africa)
ALSO READ: Ruthless APR hand Nairobi City Thunder loss on historic BAL debut
Upcoming Matches
Thursday, May 22, 2025: Al Ahli SC vs Nairobi City Thunder – 16:00 / 17:00 EAT
Saturday, May 24, 2025: MBB vs Nairobi City Thunder – 14:30 / 15:30 EAT
Sunday, May 25, 2025: Nairobi City Thunder vs APR (Rwanda) – 17:30 / 18:30 EAT
