Nairobi City Thunder bullish of BAL Elite 16 prospects

The financial institution reaffirmed its commitment to the club during a special reception at its headquarters along 1st Parklands Avenue in Nairobi on Thursday, celebrating Thunder's third league title and their remarkable unbeaten campaign.

The partnership, which has played a role in supporting the club both on and off the court, is expected to continue providing opportunities for the players while contributing to the development and growing popularity of basketball in Kenya.

I&M Bank Kenya Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamed said the institution was proud to be associated with the team and was looking to deepen the relationship.

"We feel that the partnership that I&M has had with Nairobi City Thunder has shown a lot of promise in developing the game of basketball in this country, and we would like to continue with this partnership.

“We would like to do more with them," said Mohamed.

He noted that the bank's involvement extended beyond supporting the team, with a broader ambition of elevating basketball into one of Kenya's leading sporting disciplines.

"For us, it's also about the game of basketball and bringing it to a level where it's visible, where it inspires, and where, from a Kenyan perspective, it becomes one of the top sports," he added.

Thunder completed a dominant season by overcoming a formidable Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) side in the final, underlining their status as one of the strongest basketball teams in the country.

Head coach Brad Ibs, however, believes maintaining their winning momentum will require even greater effort, warning that their next competition will present a tougher challenge as rival teams continue to strengthen their squads.

"We've won the competition each of the last two years. It'll be the most difficult competition of the three. Teams have really spent a lot of money and bolstered their squads," said Ibs.

The coach revealed that the team had already begun preparations, with the technical bench working to integrate temporary signings into the established squad ahead of the competition.

He expressed satisfaction with the early progress, although he acknowledged the challenges of blending new players with the team's existing core.

"These are unique competitions because you're blending short-term, temporary players with our existing core. That's never an easy task, but I think we're really happy with how that's going so far. We still have a little over two weeks before competition, so we feel like we're on a really good trajectory," he said.

Thunder's preparations have also received a lift from their growing support network, with center Tom 'Bush' Wamukota noting that the club's efforts to develop basketball beyond the court were creating better opportunities for players.

Meanwhile, Ibs acknowledged the demanding nature of their unbeaten league campaign, describing it as one of the most difficult seasons to navigate, particularly during the lengthy middle stages.

He singled out the final against KPA as a significant test, given the quality of their opponents and the fatigue accumulated over the course of the season.