- Nairobi City Thunder kicked off the Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division in dominant fashion as they dismantled Namuwongo Blazers 89–62.
- The match was staged at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Tuesday, November 18, in Nairobi.
- The victory puts Nairobi City Thunder in a strong position for the semifinals, which they will likely secure if South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants defeat Namuwongo on Wednesday.
The Kenya Basketball champions, Nairobi City Thunder, got off to a perfect start in their defense of the East Division title, comfortably overpowering Uganda’s Namuwongo Blazers 89-62 in the Road to BAL Elite 16 at the Kasarani Indoor Arena on Thursday evening.
A dominant 27-point margin propelled Bradley Ibs’ charges to the top of Group A, thanks to a quartet of players who delivered double-digit performances.
They were spearheaded by American international and newly signed forward Lance Robert Thomas, who dropped 18 points, grabbed five rebounds, and anchored the offense with authority.
Albert Odero followed closely with 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Derrick Ogechi made a significant impact off the bench with an impressive 14 points, while the experienced captain, Tylor Ongwae, chipped in with 13 points and five rebounds.
For the Namuwongo Blazers, who showed promise in the first quarter, only two players made notable contributions: James Mooring with 15 points and James Okello with 11.
The team will be hoping for a stronger performance when they face the Johannesburg giants on Wednesday.
Road to BAL Elite 16: Nairobi City Thunder vs Namuwongo Blazers match report
Namuwongo Blazers started the stronger of the two sides, edging the first quarter 25-23 as the Thunder’s defense was slow to find its rhythm.
The second period saw Nairobi City Thunder mount a comeback, winning the quarter 20-15 to take a narrow 43-40 lead into halftime.
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This turnaround was largely thanks to American forward Thomas, who already had 14 points, two rebounds, and an assist. Ogechi provided a spark from the bench with nine points, and Tyler Ongwae added six.
For coach Daniel Juuko’s Namuwongo Blazers, Jovan James led the first-half scoring with 11 points, eight of which came in the opening quarter. Jimmy Enabu followed with nine points, while Jaycson Ray contributed seven.
The second half began with Nairobi City Thunder seizing control of the game. They dominated the third quarter, outscoring their opponents 24-11 to establish a commanding 67-51 lead heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter was a mere formality for the Thunder, who maintained their dominance by adding 22 points against the Blazers’ 11, sealing a comprehensive 89-62 victory.
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The win puts Nairobi City Thunder in a strong position for the semifinals, which they will most likely secure if they South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants beat Namuwongo on Wednesday before they meet them this Thursday at the same venue.