- Nairobi City Thunder beat Johannesburg Giants to claim their first win in the BAL 2026 Kalahari Conference in South Africa.
- Thunder held on for a 71-65 victory on Sunday, March 29, in the tournament being staged at Sunbet Arena.
- On Wednesday, April 1, Thunder will aim to improve to a 2-1 record this season when they face Petro de Luanda.
Kenya’s national basketball champions, Nairobi City Thunder, evened their record to 1-1 in the ongoing Basketball Africa League group phase (Kalahari Conference) after beating hosts Johannesburg Giants (0-2) 71-65 in their second match of the tournament at Sunbet Arena on Sunday evening.
Thunder had kicked off their campaign on a bad note, letting it slip late against East African rivals Dar City, who making their debut, moved to 2-0 after defeating Thunder 90-85 on Saturday.
Just as they had dominated the first two quarters on Saturday, Thunder repeated the same pattern, but this time held their nerve when it mattered most.
Unlike Saturday, where they squandered an almost 13-point lead, in this clash they built a 12-point cushion before the break, briefly lost momentum, but ultimately controlled the tempo to grind out a narrow win.
ALSO READ: Nairobi City Thunder fall late to Dar City in BAL 2026 opener in South Africa
Nairobi City Thunder’s key Guard Albert Odero sidelined with hamstring strain, team feels the impact
Coach Bradley Ibs’ starting five did not quite deliver as expected, with most of the points coming from the bench.
Garang Diing led the charge with an impressive 24 points, while Davis Shaheed contributed eight points and eight rebounds. Joseph Nzeakor added six points and five rebounds, with the bench combining for 38 points overall.
On the court, captain Tylor Ongwae spearheaded the effort with 12 points, while Lance Thomas was the only other player to reach double figures 10.
Thunder’s scoring remains under pressure, largely due to the absence of key guard Albert Odero.
SportPesa Blog understands he is nursing a hamstring strain, having missed the opening two matches. Widely regarded as one of the team’s most dependable players, his absence is clearly being felt.
ALSO READ: Exclusive: Albert Odero explains his move from Nairobi City Thunder to Rwanda’s Tigers BBC
Meanwhile, Johannesburg making their BAL debut, had several players in double digits, led by Jakobi Terrell Heady with 20 points.
Joshua Ozabor followed closely with 18, while Nkosinathi Sibanyoni proved a major threat with 13 points and an impressive 17 rebounds.
Nairobi City Thunder beat Johannesburg Giants 71-65
The match, which drew a sizable crowd in support of the Florsheim Ngwenya-coached side, began at a sluggish pace. After Lance Robert missed two crucial layups, Nairobi City Thunder regrouped and claimed the first quarter 18-13.
In the second quarter, Thunder looked far more composed, showing improved defense and dominance on the boards. They extended their lead going into halftime, winning the quarter 25-18 for a 43-31 advantage.
Off the bench, Diing had already tallied 12 points by halftime, with Ongwae adding eight. For Johannesburg, Heady kept them in contention with 14 points, although the hosts struggled with their three-point shooting.
The third quarter, however, mirrored Thunder’s earlier lapse against Dar City. Defensive errors and poor rebounding allowed Johannesburg to erase the 12-point deficit, winning the quarter 21-9 and leveling the score at 52-52 heading into a tense final period.
Determined to avoid another collapse, Thunder tightened up defensively in the fourth quarter and managed their turnovers more effectively. They closed out the game strongly, winning the quarter 19-13 to secure a valuable 71-65 victory their first of the BAL 2026 campaign.
ALSO READ: Nairobi City Thunder crush Beira for historic back-to-back BAL qualification
The National Basketball Federation defending champions, unbeaten for two consecutive seasons domestically, will now enjoy a two-day break before returning to action on Wednesday, April 1.
They are set to face a formidable Petro de Luanda side at 5pm EAT, aiming to build momentum in their second appearance on the continental stage.
Nairobi City Thunder BAL 2026 Group Phase Results, Fixture Schedule and Tip-Off Times
Nairobi City Thunder 85-90 Dar City Basketball Club (H)
Nairobi City Thunder 71-65 Johannesburg Giants Basketball Club
- 4/1/26 – 4pm: Nairobi City Thunder vs Petroleos de Luanda (A)
- 4/3/26 – 4pm: Nairobi City Thunder vs Al Ahly Ly Sporting Club (A)
- 4/5/26 – 6pm: Nairobi City Thunder vs Armee Patriotique Rwandaise (H)
