Nairobi City Thunder Secure Historic BAL Ticket, Denying City Oilers in Thriller.

Nairobi City Thunder Secure Historic BAL Ticket, Denying City Oilers in Kasarani Thriller.

A charged atmosphere at the Kasarani Indoor Arena filled its 5,000-seat capacity, drama during the whole game, and a local side claimed a historic victory. This is how the day went on as Thunder fended off a fierce late push from Uganda’s City Oilers to secure a 72-62 victory. This accomplishment sealed their Basketball Africa League ticket and crowned them the first-ever Kenyan club to achieve such a feat in their debut Road to BAL campaign.

However, the Oilers led the charge with a 4-2 run, to which Uche Iroegbu replied by giving Thunder a 7-6 advantage, further extended by Tylor Ongwae, who scored from behind the arc. Ater Majok’s efforts late in the quarter pushed the lead to 16-8. By the end of the opening frame, Thunder led 18-11.

A blazing start to the second quarter saw the hosts grab a 5-0 run, pushing their advantage to 23-11. Long-range strikes by Parish saw the Oilers close the gap to 23-18. The quarter unfolded as a duel of three-pointers, with both teams trading blows from distance. Thunder maintained their edge, heading into halftime with a 34-26 lead.

Momentum swung repeatedly in the second half. The Oilers launched a 6-0 burst early in the third quarter, narrowing Thunder’s lead to two points. But the hosts surged ahead again, only for the Oilers to rally again, cutting the deficit to 41-40 behind Petty’s sharpshooting. As the tension mounted, Garang Diing’s buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the quarter handed Thunder a 54-45 cushion.

All the drama unfolded in the final quarter. The Oilers orchestrated a return, Falando Cortez Jones hitting two crucial three-pointers, to see his side come within striking distance at 66-60. Roger Dauna’s bucket made it a four-point game, but Andrew Tendo’s side couldn’t sustain their effort, allowing Thunder to close out the win.

Iroegbu was Thunder’s bandleader, orchestrating his side’s success with an all-around performance, tallying 16 points, six assists, five rebounds, four steals and two blocks. His efficiency was unmatched, with only one turnover enhancing his stellar outing. Ater Majok contributed a significant double-double, recording 17 points and ten rebounds, though his seven turnovers created some nervous moments for the home crowd.

Free-throw woes haunted the Oilers, who missed nine of 16 attempts, with their struggles in the paint also proving costly as Thunder outscored them 34-24 in that area. Despite shooting slightly better from beyond the arc, the Ugandan side fell short of overturning Thunder’s resilience.

For Thunder, this marks a monumental achievement. They join Cape Verde’s Kriol Star in debuting at BAL 2025, while the Oilers face the sting of missing their third consecutive appearance.

“This is a historic moment for us and the country,” remarked Thunder head coach Bradley Ibs, adding:

“The team gave everything on the court to make this possible.”

Reflecting on their preparation, captain Tylor Ongwae shared his feelings about writing a new chapter for his native land.

“We’ve been grinding hard for three months. Tough practices got us here, and it’s an honor to make history for Kenya.”

For the Oilers, it’s back to the drawing board.

“We started slow, allowed them to build a lead, and couldn’t quite close the gap,” said head coach Andrew Tendo. “This is a wake-up call to prepare better for the next opportunity.”

[Photography/Imagery : Courtesy of FIBA]