Year-in-Review: Nairobi City Thunder reached new heights, KPA sparkled

At Kasarani Indoor Arena, Nairobi City Thunder produced a performance that will be remembered by their fans for years to come.

The defending East Division Elite 16 champions defeated South Africa’s Johannesburg Giants 94–84 in a thrilling final, lifting the crown for the second consecutive year.

The victory not only secured the title but also guaranteed Thunder’s place in the 2026 Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Their opponents, Johannesburg Giants, also booked a ticket to the continental league by reaching the final. Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Dar City clinched the final East Division spot after a 92–77 win over Mozambique’s Ferroviario de Beira.

For Zetech Sparks head coach Maurice Obilo, Thunder’s growth is evident.

“The mentality is different, the preparation is different. They now understand the level of competition and are on the right track,” Obilo said.

However, he admits there are areas to improve ahead of 2026.

“Transition defense remains a key focus. The players are ready, the coaches are doing well, and the support around the team is amazing,” he noted.

Former Morans assistant coach Abel Nson also highlighted the importance of experience in African competitions.

“African basketball is unique. Even players from the U.S. need time to understand the pace and style. Thunder must ensure they have experienced players who can handle the stage,” he said.

Nson emphasized the need for specific roles: “They need a solid point guard and a big man to protect the rim. Inside presence is crucial—this is true even in the NBA.”

With BAL 2026 looming, preparation is key. Thunder must study opponents such as Petro de Luanda, Al Ahly, and FUS Rabat, review game footage, and develop tailored strategies to succeed.

KPA keep the dream alive

On the women’s side, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) returned stronger after a disappointing 2024 campaign.

The Dockers reclaimed the national premier league title in 2025 and represented Kenya in the Zone Five Qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya and in the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA) in Cairo, Egypt.

Although KPA lost the Zone Five title to Rwanda’s APR, they secured the third-place playoff by defeating Burundi’s Les Hippos 89–81.

This dramatic victory earned them a wild card spot for WBLA, marking an improvement from the previous year where they finished fourth in the region that was hosted in Tanzania.

KPA assistant head coach Samuel Ocholla said that the team had entered the tournament with two clear objectives.

“We had two targets. The first was to win the Zone Five Championship, since the last time we won was in 2023 in Rwanda. The second target was to qualify for the 2025 FIBA Women Basketball League Africa (WBLA) in Egypt,” he explains.

Those goals became the compass guiding every training session, tactical meeting, and locker-room huddle.

Just as KPA seemed to be gathering momentum, adversity struck. One of their key imports, Okoro Ifunanya, a point guard from Nigeria and their most reliable scorer and rhythm-setter picked up an injury in the heated clash against APR.

What began as mild discomfort quickly escalated into a noticeable struggle.

Ocholla describes the impact of their new signings for the championship as he revealed that an injury to one to one of them disrupted their momentum at a crucial stage of the qualifiers.

“The imports delivered well, except one of them who picked up an injury in the APR game. Towards the end of that match she was really struggling, and the same happened in the game against REG,” the assistant coach reveals.

Her absence was more than a tactical blow; it disrupted the Dockers’ heartbeat.

“She tried her best, but she couldn’t play at her usual level, so we had to take her out. Losing her disrupted our rhythm and affected the overall flow of the game and how the team plays.”

University-based team Zetech Sparks, making their continental debut, finished sixth after a 56–67 defeat to Tanzania’s Foxes Divas. Coach Obilo reflected on the lessons:

"The girls were new to this stage, tense, and overwhelmed. We’ll take the lessons home and work on them."

He also explained the unique challenge of student-athlete teams:

"Graduation turnover is constant. We lost nearly half our squad just recently. Even if we qualify again, we’ll likely face the same issue—a new unit every season."

KPA, the 2023 Zone Five women’s finalists returned to the biggest women’s club basketball competition in Africa after failing to qualify in 2024, with hopes of improving on their previous outing.

KPA ended up finishing sixth at the FIBA Women’s Basketball League Africa after a 74–67 loss to Sporting Clube de Luanda of Angola in the classification 5–6 match.

KPA went into the contest still feeling the weight of a narrow three-point quarter final defeat to APR, a result that visibly took an emotional toll on the Kenyan side.

Despite that setback, the Dockers showed resilience and remained competitive for most of the game against the Angolan outfit.

Although the Dockers left Cairo without a medal, the players and technical bench believe the team is better than its final standing suggests and view the tournament as a foundation to regroup, grow and return stronger on the continental stage.

For both Thunder and KPA, these campaigns represent more than wins or lose—they are building blocks for Kenyan basketball on the continental stage. Thunder enters BAL 2026 with hunger, maturity, and a renewed focus, while KPA’s exposure to regional and continental competition is invaluable for developing talent.

Fans can expect exciting campaigns ahead, as Kenyan teams aim to compete, adapt, and leave a mark on African basketball. With proper preparation, strategic recruitment, and lessons learned from past campaigns, the future looks bright.