- Nairobi City Thunder’s power guard Ariel Okall Koranga opens up about his BAL motivation, drawn from his late father, Warrant Officer Two Elijah Koranga.
- Ariel felt a deep sense of pride and emotional strength wearing a jersey bearing the name “Koranga” on the continental stage.
- The team remains unbeaten since last season in the KBF League, and Okall is optimistic about their prospects.
Nairobi City Thunder power guard Ariel Okall Koranga has shared how his late father, Warrant Officer Two Elijah Koranga, served as a powerful source of inspiration throughout his Basketball Africa League (BAL) journey.
Okall was among the City Thunder players who etched their names in history as the first Kenyan team to qualify for the BAL, proudly representing the nation in the Nile Conference held in Kigali, Rwanda, in late May.
Despite falling short of advancing to the playoffs in Pretoria, Okall and his teammates earned the nation’s admiration through their unyielding determination, including a hard-fought 76-85 victory against South Africa’s MBB in their second-round clash.
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Reflecting on this milestone, Ariel expressed his deep desire to honor his father, who had been his unwavering pillar of support, and to leave his mark on the BAL.
I really so much wanted to go there and represent my father. I wanted to come here and make something happen and make him proud. He was always there for me and supported me and it gave me great pleasure to know that I was doing it for him in Kigali,” Ariel told TelecoMasia.
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At 35, Okall further revealed that it was his heartfelt wish that his father could have been present in Kigali to witness the milestone.
Although Koranga passed away before the tournament, he had watched Thunder qualify for the Elite 16 in Tanzania and had been there during their historic performance at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
Nonetheless, Ariel felt a deep sense of pride and emotional strength wearing a jersey bearing the name “Koranga” on the continental stage.
He has been a massive influence for me. He was a sportsman and we always talked about this. He watched the first round when we played in Tanzania, he watched the Elite 16 when he qualified and I wished that he could have been here to watch this as well and especially when we got our first win,” Ariel said.
But, life sometimes doesn’t give us what we wish for and I was inspired to come here and keep representing him, making him and the whole family proud.
I felt inspired wearing the Koranga name on the back of my jersey. It has been an emotional rollercoster for me but I always have to move knowing that I am doing the best for him.”
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A former Kenya Ports Authority player, Okall emphasized how personally rewarding it was to finally reach the BAL stage after numerous attempts with various teams.
“It was really special. This is an opportunity that every player in Africa is now looking forward to and dreaming of. This is the first for me after multiple tries with different teams and it was a great feeling. We really wanted to win and have a massive performance, but we take it all in and pick lessons for next time,” he explained
BAL return the goal for Nairobi City Thunder
Despite falling short this season, Nairobi City Thunder took home vital lessons from the BAL, which they are now implementing in the ongoing Kenya Basketball League.
The team remains unbeaten since last season, and Okall is optimistic about their prospects.
First of all, it is just great being here. For all the young players who inspire to play at the BAL, I would tell them this is the best place to come and showcase their talent.
There are plenty of lessons picked especially in terms of how we manage our games and the importance of getting locked in quick enough.
I feel that was one of our biggest undoings. But, we are inspired to come back here next year and compete. I believe if we play our cards right we will be back and not just compete, but win the conference and qualify for the play-offs,” he reiterated.
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