Tylor Ongwae not losing hope as Thunder face APR in final BAL clash

National men’s basketball champions and the first Kenyan side to reach the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Nairobi City Thunder, play their final Nile Conference clash against hosts APR at the BK Arena from 6:30 pm.

On Saturday, the side clinched their maiden BAL victory in an 85-76 show against South Africa’s MBB, improving their record to 1-4.

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The victory leaves them still in the playoff race but depend on other teams' results, and a win on the final day, to achieve that .

Skipper Tylor Ongwae, who finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in the win against MBB, says that their mindset coming into the game was self-belief, something he says they will carry to the final game.

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“We always believed that we could compete against this team. This win means a lot to our country because it opens the door. Winning the first game is always difficult, but now that we have, I hope many more Kenyan teams will win in the BAL,” he told BAL.com.

“Before the game, we talked to each other and agreed that we had to play as a team, and we did well. We still believe that we can get that playoff ticket,” he went on.

In the first meeting against the hosts, Aliou Diarra was tormentor in chief as APR played for a dominant 92-63 win over the debuting Thunder.

Not only did the 2023 BAL Defensive Player of the Year lead all players in scoring with 21 points, he also set a season record for most blocked shots with six, adding 12 rebounds and two steals, giving him an efficiency rating of 29. He will be one to watch for Thunder.

Nairobi City Thunder had a short-lived lead (19-14) earlier in the first quarter. However, when APR locked in defensively in the second quarter, forcing the Thunder to turn the ball over seven times, the outcome of the game was inevitable.

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In the repeat match, they face an APR side that is coming off back-to-back losses to MBB and Al Ahli Tripoli, and are keen to seal second place with what would be their third title.

Thunder are also banking on MBB losing to the North Africans in the other match of the day, and winning theirs, which would bring the chase for best third-place finisher down to point difference.