Nairobi City Thunder players celebrate/HANDOUTAfter punching their tickets to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) for a second straight season, Nairobi City Thunder will be hoping to put on a commanding show and exorcise the ghosts of their maiden continental run.
Thunder sealed their return to Africa’s elite stage after a flawless outing at the East Division Elite 16, hosted in Nairobi last month.
Drawn in Group A alongside South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants and Uganda’s Namuwongo Blazers, Thunder ran riot, going unbeaten to top the pool with authority.
They dismantled Namuwongo 89-62 before grinding out a pulsating 86-83 victory over Johannesburg Giants to storm into the semis.
In the last four, they shifted into top gear, blowing away Mozambique’s Ferroviário da Beira 109-70 to book a spot in the final and set up a rematch with the Giants.
Just like their first meeting, Thunder proved the superior side, winning 94-84 to clinch the East Division Elite 16 crown and extend their continental dream into the 2026 BAL season.
Head coach Bradley Ibs said it felt special guiding the Nairobi outfit back onto the grand African stage. “It feels great to be back in the Elite 16,” Ibs said.
He hailed the fans for turning Kasarani into a fortress. “The fans came out in large numbers — Kasarani was basically full, cheering for Nairobi City Thunder.”
Thunder now look to improve on their 2025 BAL campaign, where they were knocked out in the Nile Conference, finishing with a 1–5 record and missing the playoffs. First assistant coach Rose Mshila emphasised the magnitude of another continental berth.
“This is a big deal for us just to get to this stage again, and a big deal for Kenya as well.”
She believes the team has evolved since their maiden BAL appearance. “From what we are seeing, our brand of basketball is now in league with top-tier clubs in Africa.”
“From the first experience to where we are now, there have been a lot of improvements. We’ve streamlined our systems of play. Preparations will now shift into a higher gear.”
Meanwhile, club CEO Colin Rasmussen applauded the Thunder family for powering their rise.
“We thank our fans who came out with incredible energy. We also appreciate our partners and sponsors who have believed in us throughout our journey,” he said.
He credited the team’s growth to relentless work behind the scenes.
“The staff and players work tirelessly in training to get us to a place where we can compete at a continental level and put Kenya on the map as a basketball powerhouse.”
“Our goal to become Kenya’s number one basketball brand.”
