- Nairobi City Thunder escape Johannesburg Giants scare to reach the Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division semifinals set for Saturday November 22.
- Thunder edged the Giants 86–83 on Thursday, November 20, to finish top of Group A.
- The clash was staged at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
A first-quarter dominance of 24–14 proved to be the lifeline for Kenya’s giants, Nairobi City Thunder, as they survived a Johannesburg Giants onslaught to edge them 86–83 on Thursday and advance to the 2026 Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division semifinals as Pool A leaders.
The Giants, who managed to win each of the subsequent three quarters (21-20, 21-19, and 27-23), pushed Thunder to the brink in a nerve-wracking encounter staged at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.
2024 Kenya MVP Albert Odero was once again the standout for Nairobi City Thunder, scoring the decisive basket with the match poised at 84-83 to seal the victory. He finished the evening with a team-high of 21 points.
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Captain Tylor Ongwae followed closely with 18 points, while forward Robert Thomas contributed 14.
Eugene Adera rounded out the double-digit scorers, earning recognition as the game’s top playmaker with an impressive double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The Johannesburg Giants, who struggled with offensive rebounds in the first half, had three players scoring in double figures.
They were led by Dhieu Abwok Deing, who posted a remarkable 27 points, five rebounds, and six assists.
He was ably supported by Eromosele Ozabar, who sank 25 points, while Sandile Sibanyoni added 15 to the board.
2026 Road to BAL Elite 16 East Division: Nairobi City Thunder escape Johannesburg Giants scare to reach the semifinals
Giants head coach NGWENYAÂ stated that his team’s slow start in the opening period allowed Thunder to capitalize and build a solid lead, but he expressed pride in their second-half response.
The first two quarters we did not play as we wanted. We are a very good defensive team and I think in those two quarters we were a bit loose.
It’s not that Thunder dominated the match that much; they had their foot in the door in the first quarter. In the second half, we managed to pull ourselves back and we played well.”
He pinpointed the primary reason for the loss.
I think the offensive rebounds are something that killed us today. Giving up 17 rebounds is too many, and any time we concede a rebound, it’s bound to be a score. But all in all, I’m proud of my boys, especially in the second half. The communication was good, it was a good game, and we are going to pull ourselves together for the next two matches remaining.”
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Meanwhile, Thunder’s coach Bradley Ibs acknowledged the tough battle that went down to the wire, praising his team for holding their nerve in the final minutes.
It was a hard-fought win today. The opponent shot the ball amazingly well; they had a great game. Every time I saw they had an open look, my heart was pounding as they sank more of those chances.
But I’m proud of my guys for making the plays down the stretch and creating opportunities. I felt the lineup that played in the last seven minutes of the final quarter was really resilient. It was a good game, and we now focus on the next one.”
In the semifinals, Thunder will face the highly experienced Ferroviario da Beira of Mozambique on Saturday, while the Giants will lock horns with Tanzania’s Dar City Basketball team.
Both teams hope to advance to the finals, where the finalist will already have qualified for the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) in Kigali, Rwanda.
