Nairobi City Thunder Kalahari Conference

Despite Nairobi City Thunder’s bruising setback in Game Three of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Kalahari Conference, head coach Bradley Ibs remains defiant, backing his side to close out the group stage with back-to-back victories.

Thunder were outgunned 97-70 by Angolan heavyweights Petro de Luanda on Wednesday night in Pretoria, South Africa, in what was their third match of the conference.

The defeat came on the heels of a spirited 71-65 triumph over hosts Johannesburg Giants on Sunday, a response that had briefly steadied their campaign after an opening 90-85 slip against regional rivals Dar City in their opening match.

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Now sitting at 1-2 and fifth on the standings, Thunder’s path to progression hangs in the balance with two decisive fixtures remaining.

However, Ibs insists the mood within the camp is spirited. “With two games remaining, I can say the vibes in the locker room are really positive,” Ibs said, striking an upbeat tone despite the setback.

Thunder face a stern test against Libya’s Al Ahly on Friday before wrapping up their conference run against Rwanda’s RSSB on Sunday, two clashes that could define their BAL journey. Ibs drew encouragement from his side’s showing against Petro, insisting the scoreline did not fully reflect the contest.

“We just played the best team in Africa, and we matched them toe-to-toe for three quarters,” he noted. “If we can put together two complete performances and push ourselves, I believe we can get wins in our remaining games.”

Still, the coach was quick to pinpoint where the game slipped away. “It was even through the first quarter, but they ramped up their on-ball pressure. In some situations, they were trapped with two defenders, and we didn’t handle it well,” he admitted. “We might have won the second half—I’m very proud of how the players responded.”

There was also a timely boost with the return of Albert Odero, who had been sidelined since the start of the conference with a hamstring injury.

“Everyone was excited to see Albert back. We had to manage his minutes cautiously, but he generally felt good,” said Ibs, who confirmed the guard will continue to be monitored closely.

Odero made an immediate impact, coming off the bench to drain all three of his attempts from beyond the arc in the opening half before being rested for the remainder of the contest.

On Wednesday night, Derrick Ogechi carried Thunder’s offensive burden, pouring in 20 points. However, his efforts could not stem the tide as Thunder trailed by as many as 33 points at one stage. For Ogechi, the outing marked a personal milestone after limited involvement in last year’s BAL campaign. “I’m proud to be playing for Kenya and representing Thunder. I didn’t get that opportunity last year,” he said. “Hopefully, we can get some more wins.”