Africa-Press – Rwanda. Kenyan side Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) ended their 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL) campaign on a high note, defeating previously unbeaten Rwanda’s RSSB Tigers 101–92 at SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, on Sunday, April 5.
Despite the loss, the Tigers still finished top of the Kalahari Conference, having already secured qualification for the playoffs.
Head coach Henry Mwinuka rotated his squad for the game, resting his key players Craig Randall and Ntore Habimana.
For Thunder, who had been eliminated from playoff contention a day earlier, the victory was a statement performance. The Kenyan champions bowed out with a respectable 2–3 record, proudly becoming the only team to defeat the Tigers during the conference phase.
BAL debutant Dennis Ogechi starred for the second consecutive game, leading Thunder with 22 points. His performance helped guide Bradley Ibs’ side to their highest-scoring outing of the tournament.
Thunder’s hopes of reaching a maiden BAL Finals appearance were dashed on Saturday after Tanzanian side Dar City claimed the final playoff spot. Both teams finished with identical 2–3 records, but Dar City advanced on a head-to-head advantage following their 90–85 win over Thunder.
Motivated to end their campaign strongly, Thunder delivered an impressive offensive display, surpassing the 100-point mark for the first time in the conference while dominating large stretches of the game.
Playing without injured guard Albert Odero, Thunder made a blistering start, opening up a 38–24 lead in the first quarter and extending it to 25 points midway through the second. However, the Tigers responded with a 12–2 run to reduce the deficit to 13 points at halftime.
Thunder regained control in the third quarter, with captain Tyler Ongwae and Ogechi hitting key three-pointers to stretch the lead back to 19 points before closing the period with a 14-point cushion.
The Tigers mounted a late push in the fourth quarter, cutting the gap to single digits with six minutes remaining. But a decisive 6–0 run from Ogechi and Garang Diing restored Thunder’s control, as they held on comfortably to seal the 101–92 win.
Diing finished with 14 points, including Thunder’s 100th point from the free-throw line. He was joined in double figures by Joseph Nzeakor (21 points), Ongwae (17), and Lance Thomas (14), as five Thunder players reached double digits.
Despite the defeat, RSSB Tigers’ top-place finish in the Kalahari Conference means they will face the fourth-placed team from the Sahara Conference in the playoffs—potentially offering a favorable path as they aim for a deep run in Kigali.
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