Nairobi City Thunder learn Elite 16 opponents ahead of Kasarani showdown
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 08.11.25. | 11:53
Nairobi is playing host for the second consecutive year, following last season's East Division Elite 16, where Thunder, and Kriol Star of Cape Verde, secured the two places available for the 2025 BAL season
Kenya Basketball champions Nairobi City Thunder, already in camp preparing for the East Division Elite 16 Road to BAL (Basketball Africa League), have been pooled against South Africa Johannesburg Giants and Uganda's Namuwongo Blazers.
A fourth side, off a wild card yet to be announced, will complete Group A, while Group B will see Tanzania's Dar City pitted against three sides from the Division East Group E qualifiers.
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Zambian champions Matero Magic, led by the lethal Jacob Mushinge, Bravehearts from Malawi, and the returning Ferroviario da Beira of Mozambique complete the Group.
Nairobi is playing host for the second consecutive year, following last season's East Division Elite 16, where Thunder, and Kriol Star of Cape Verde, secured the two places available for the 2025 BAL season.
Under head coach Bradley Ibs, the Kenyan back-to-back unbeaten league champions will look to replicate last season's show on this stage at the same venue, Kasarani Indoor Gymnasium.
Ibs' charges, who got a direct ticket to the final qualifying stage, go up against a Pieter Prinsloo-captained Johannesburg Giants that was unstoppable in Lusaka last week, qualifying unbeaten.
Giants ended their campaign on a perfect 5-0 record, with Prinsloo, who has previously featured for MBB and Cape Town Tigers leading with experience. Nkosinathi Sibanyoni, another experienced South African forward, added to the side's depth. He featured for Burundi's Urunani last year, but returns with his home team chasing elusive success.
Namuwongo Blazers, on their part, head to the competition adrenaline high having clinched their maiden Ugandan title, ending a decade-long dominance by City Oilers, who were on the hunt for a record 11th.
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Blazers played in the three-team Group D qualifiers hosted in Dar es Salaam, falling to the hosts Dar City, but rising above Comoros' Djabal with star player Peter Obleng scoring 39 in a 132-58 show that qualified the Ugandan champions for their maiden Elite 16 show.
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