Nairobi City Thunder coach confident of good show in KBF playoffs

As fate would have it, former Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men’s league finalists Nairobi City Thunder play Strathmore Blades in the 2022/23 season best-of-three quarters on Friday 21 April from 8pm. 

This is a repeat of last season’s playoffs quarters where the varsity side denied the Sadat Gaya-coached side a chance to reach the last four.

Equity Dumas ready for Terror challenge as KBF playoffs get underway

However, the tactician is confident they can turn the tables despite losing to the Tony Onyango-coached Blades in their last four encounters.

“We go into this match as underdogs and we are planning to use that to our advantage. We have prepared well and are aware of the task ahead.

The downside of this season has been its length, we have played 22 matches in more than a year and that means it was a see-saw of being in form and focused and losing all that.

The playoffs are, however, a different ball game as consistency is guaranteed. I know we have a match on Friday and again on Sunday so I can plan accordingly,” offered Gaya.

Despite having one of their shakiest seasons, Gaya takes comfort in knowing that he is taking a healthy squad to battle as the wait has given some of his players who were out on injury time to get back on their feet.

“Everyone is healthy and that is something we have not had heading to the playoffs for the last two seasons. We have had a bad streak in the last two months of the regular league but I am confident we have put that behind us during the preparation period,” Gaya added.

Blades won 14 and lost eight in the regular season to finish fourth ahead of Thunder who went 11-11.

Their match will be preceded by a clash between Equity Dumas and University of Nairobi (UoN) Terror from 6 pm.