Nairobi City Thunder made history in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Elite 16 Stage tournament, securing a groundbreaking semi-final victory that solidified their place among Africa’s elite basketball clubs. This achievement not only fulfilled the vision of their sponsor, Twende Sports, to elevate Kenyan basketball to new heights but also positioned Thunder as a force to reckon with in the continent’s top-tier competition.

The historic semi-final victory was over Uganda’s City Oilers in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Elite 16 Stage tournament.
Thunder’s assistant team manager, Bernet Ojay, expressed his excitement immediately after the final whistle on Monday night, saying, “Thunder’s semi-final win over City Oilers qualifies us for the Road to BAL.”

He continued, “This historic win has helped us achieve Twende Sports’ key vision of raising the standard of Kenyan basketball and positioning our team on Africa’s elite map. With this victory, Thunder has now earned a spot in the BAL club champions final.”

Ojay elaborated on the journey of the club since Twende Sports acquired Nairobi City Thunder, formerly known as the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) basketball club.

He highlighted the sponsor’s goal of transforming the team into Kenya’s first professional basketball squad and elevating the country’s performance on both local and international stages.

Perfect run

“Since taking over, Twende Sports aimed to fulfill this vision by leading the team to victory in the Kenya National Basketball League (KNBL), managed by the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF),” Ojay recalled.

Thunder had a perfect run in the inaugural 2024 KNBL premier edition, defeating Mombasa’s Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) in the playoffs to secure the league title. This victory earned them a spot in the Basketball Africa League’s East Division qualifiers, held in Zanzibar in October, where Thunder finished second and advanced to the BAL Elite 16 Stage tournament.

At the BAL Elite 16 Stage, Thunder continued their stellar performance, winning all their group-stage games. They triumphed over South Africa’s Made By Ball Blue Soldiers (MBB), beating them 102-59, and followed that up with a dominant 104-71 win against Cape Verde’s Kriol Star. Their final group-stage game saw them beat Malawi’s Bravehearts 90-61, securing a semi-final berth.

Spot in finale

In their semi-final matchup against City Oilers, Thunder emerged victorious with a 72-62 win, securing their place in the BAL East Division final against Kriol Star. Ojay attributed Thunder’s success to the dedication of the players, technical staff, and the unwavering support of the club management and Twende Sports.

“Hard work has paid off, and it contributed to our qualification for the Road to BAL club champions final, which is akin to the football World Cup,” Ojay stated.

Thunder’s semi-final win was made even more memorable by the overwhelming support from fans, with the team’s CEO, Collin Rasmussen and General Manager Stephen Domingo, among others, showing up to cheer the players on.

In the game, Thunder initially faced resistance from City Oilers, who took a 2-0 lead early on. However, Thunder quickly leveled the score with Ater Majok’s effort, and the game remained tightly contested throughout. By the end of the first quarter, Thunder led 18-11.

They maintained a slim advantage, winning the second quarter 16-15 and the third quarter 20-19, finishing with a final score of 72-62.