In Kigali
Nairobi City Thunder’s uphill battle in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) continued Thursday evening in Kigali, as they went down 104-91 to Libyan heavyweights Al Ahli Tripoli in a spirited but ultimately fruitless effort.
The defeat, their fourth in as many games, leaves Thunder’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread, with only two games left in the Nile Conference campaign.
Al Ahli Tripoli, who has looked like one of the most organised sides in the tournament, wasted no time asserting dominance. They raced to a 10-2 lead within minutes, applying relentless pressure and moving the ball with the kind of chemistry that comes from playing together at a high level.
Still, to their credit, the Thunder didn’t roll over. They clawed their way back to level at 22-22, showing the grit that’s become their hallmark in this tough stretch.
But grit alone couldn’t hold off the Libyan champions. By the end of the first quarter, Tripoli had reasserted control, finishing with a 32-24 lead behind an in-form Deon Thompson, whose poise and experience were evident throughout the night.
Thunder’s energy in the second quarter was admirable, they found some rhythm on offence, with key baskets from Uchenna Iroegbu and Albert Odero. But every time they cut into the deficit, Tripoli responded, often with clinical ball movement and sharpshooting. By halftime, the gap had grown to 15, with the scoreboard reading 56-41.
The third quarter was where things really got away from the Kenyans. Defensive lapses and missed assignments opened the floodgates for Tripoli, who outscored Thunder 27-18 in the period. At one point, the deficit ballooned to nearly 30 points, and what had been a competitive battle began to look like a runaway.
Still, if there’s one thing Thunder have consistently done in this conference, it is finish strong and they did just that. With Iroegbu leading the charge and finding his range from deep, Thunder put together their best quarter of the night, outscoring Tripoli 32-21 in the fourth. The shots finally started falling, and the body language shifted, if only a little.
Coach Brad Ibs admitting to the defensive lapses cost them ’’That third quarter really hurt us. We had breakdowns on the defensive end, too many open looks, too many second-chance points. Against a team like Tripoli, you can’t afford that kind of lapse."
Echoing his coach's sentiments Iregobu said ‘’It’s frustrating, no doubt. We came in wanting to get that first win, and we believed we could. We showed heart in the fourth quarter, but we’ve got to be more consistent over four quarters if we want to compete at this level."Iroegbu finished with 23 points, while Odero added 17. For Tripoli, Jean-Jacques Boissy once again proved a game-changer off the bench with 26 points, and Mohamed Sadi chipped in 23.
With the win, Al Ahli Tripoli became the first team from the Nile Conference to book their spot in the BAL playoffs in Pretoria this June. They join a growing list of qualifiers that includes Al Ittihad (Egypt), Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria), US Monastir (Tunisia), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Kriol Star (Cape Verde).
For City Thunder, attention now turns to their final two fixtures against Made By Ball Basketball (MBB) and Armee Patriotique Rwandaise (APR). Both are must-wins if they hope to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. While results haven’t gone their way, Thunder’s refusal to quit has earned them respect. Whether it translates into wins remains to be seen.
Nairobi City Thunder will take on a very motivated MBB side who stunned hosts APR 94-88. The game will tip off on Saturday at 5 pm Kenyan time.
