Nairobi City Thunder learn BAL group-phase opponents

Defending Kenya Basketball Federation champions Nairobi City Thunder have landed a relatively manageable group ahead of their maiden appearance in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) later this year.

Thunder booked their ticket to Africa’s premier men's basketball league in December last year, when they capped a phenomenal home campaign by lifting the East Division Elite 16 title at the Kasarani Indoor Arena.

Nairobi City Thunder strike historic ticket to BAL

The debutants will be in the competition’s Nile Conference, which is scheduled to take place in Kigali, Rwanda on 17-25 May.

Joining Thunder in their group will be: Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya, Rwanda’s Armee Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball (APR) and Made by Basketball (MBB) of South Africa.

Notably, just like Thunder, Al Ahli Tripoli and MBB are also first-time BAL participants.

However, unlike Thunder who are representing Kenya for the first time in the competition, both Ahli and MBB have had their respective countries represented before.

APR stands out in the group as the experienced lot, having featured in the group stages of last year’s edition.

Al Ahly Tripoli gained their place in BAL after clinching the West Division Elite 16 title in Abidjan unbeaten, while MBB achieved their own piece of history via a wild card.

MBB had a disappointing run in the Elite 16 Division East last year, and were hammered 102-59 by group opponents Thunder.

Elite 16: Nairobi City Thunder brush aside MBB in perfect show of might

The Nile Conference will be the last of three BAL regular-season group phases, coming after the Kalahari Conference in April, and the Sahara Conference in Senegal tipping off on 26 April - 5 May.

Each regular-season group phase will see each team face the other teams in their conference twice, with the eight top teams from across all three conferences moving on to the playoffs and finals in Pretoria, South Africa in June.