Thunder complete Blades sweep as Swords jump to series lead

Former Kenya Basketball Federation finalist Nairobi City Thunder are through to the semifinals of the ongoing KBF playoffs after sweeping varsity side Strathmore Blades 62-61 in a close Game Two at the Nyayo Gymnasium on Sunday night.

The one-point win means that the Sadat Gaya side - after taking game one - have won the best-of-three quarters series and will wait to see their next opponents towards making a deep run in the postseason.

Thunder are poised to play the winner of KPA and KU Pirates; a series the Dockers lead 1-0.

Blades, bounced to a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter leading 18-16 before Thunder responded brilliantly in the second period; winning it 21-17 to take a 37-35 lead to the break.

The second half was a tight one for Tonny Ochieng’s Blades side as they stumbled to a nine-point fourth quarter after initially winning the third quarter by four points.

The duo of Dismas Mbaka and Thomas Kioko led the way for Thunder with 13 points each with skipper Griffin Ligare adding up eight points, making a late rally in the second half where he scored six consecutive Thunder points.

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Dennis Koja led all scorers for Strathmore with 18 points with George Okoth adding up six points.

In another match at the same venue on Sunday, Strathmore Swords jumped onto a series advantage with a 45-28 victory over Storms to take home a 1-0 series lead.