- Road to BAL Elite 16: Nairobi City Thunder dominate Joburg Giants to emerge back to back East Division Champions.
- Thunder beat the Giants 94-84 on Sunday November 23 at the kasarani Indoor Arena.
- Both side have already qualified for the 2026 Baskeball Africa League BAL group Phase.
Nairobi City Thunder were crowned East Division champions for the second consecutive time in the Road to BAL Elite 16, sealing the title with a commanding 94-84 victory over South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants on Sunday evening
At the Kasarani Indoor Arena, the triumph echoed their dominant performance against the same opponent in the group stages, though this outing was less tense than their narrow 86-83 escape earlier in the week.
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Entering the final, the Kenyan champions had already secured their back-to-back spot in next year’s Basketball Africa League, as the East Division awarded two slots to the finalists.
Having decisively beaten Mozambique’s Ferroviario da Beira 109-70 in Saturday’s semifinal, they took to the court to defend their title against the debutant Giants, who had narrowly edged out Tanzania’s Dar City Basketball 71-69 a day earlier.
Nairobi City Thunder dominate Joburg Giants to emerge back to back East Division Champions
Five of Coach Bradley Ibs’ players scored in double figures, led by 2022 BAL champion Ater Majok with 17 points, a tally matched by Captain Taylor Ongwae.
Albert Odero didn’t quite replicate his stellar form from the semifinals and group stage, contributing 14 points. Derrick Ogechi and Thomas Robert each added 11 points.
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While Eugene Adera fell just short of double digits with eight, he delivered an all-around performance as a playmaker, tallying 10 steals, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
For the Giants, four of Coach Florsheim Ngwenya’s charges reached double figures. Dhieu Abwok Deing led the effort with 21 points, followed by Sandile Sibanyoni with 16. Charles Tholo added 14, and Eromosele Ozabar completed the quartet with 10 points.
The first quarter saw Thomas Robert lead the charge with nine points as Thunder established a strong 28-17 lead.
The home team maintained a comfortable lead of at least 20 points for much of the second quarter, though the Giants managed to trim the deficit slightly before halftime, with Thunder leading 50-38.
No Thunder player reached double figures in the first two quarters, while Abwok Deing kept the Giants in contention with 12 first-half points.
After the break, the Kenyan side capitalized on defensive lapses from their opponents, stretching their lead to 22 points after winning the third quarter 33-23, setting up an 83-61 advantage heading into the final period.
True to their reputation from the group stage, where they had given Thunder a scare, the Giants mounted a fierce comeback.
Their efforts were so intense that their head coach was even forced to leave the court in frustration. They won the quarter 23-11, but the rally fell short, and the hosts ultimately sealed a 94-84 victory.
Both teams will now focus on the main tournament. Thunder, in their second appearance, will be aiming to advance beyond the group phase, while Johannesburg will look to make a statement in their debut.
The group stage dates for the Kalahari, Sahara, and Nile Conferences have not yet been announced, where the teams will meet new opposition for a shot at the finals.