Kenya bets on regional tournament to grow local basketball
Dismas Onsongo of Nairobi City Thunder goes for a lay-up against Darius Matere (left) Kenyatta University Pirates during a past Kenya Basketball Federation men's premier league match at Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- Initially earmarked for Johannesburg, the tournament will feature eight teams, including Kenyan champions Nairobi City Thunder.
- Nairobi City Thunder hope to make history as the first Kenyan team to qualify for Africa’s premier men's basketball league.
Kenya hopes to ride on the opportunity of hosting the East Division qualifier finals of the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL) to take the local game to the next level.
Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) chairman Paul Otula has said the country will ride on the chance of hosting East Division (Conference) finals for the Road to 2025 Basketball Africa League in Nairobi from November 28 to December 3 at the Moi International Sports Centre Gymnasium, and at Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium, to spur growth of the game locally.
“It’s a reflection of the confidence that FIBA Africa have in Kenya’s organisational capability, and popularity of the sport,” Otula said.
The KBF boss spoke on Thursday at the Nyayo National Stadium Gymnasium in Nairobi while announcing the choice of Kenya as the host of the qualifier tournament.
He said the government will work with KBF to ensure smooth running of the championship, and to avail facilities in good time.
Initially earmarked for Johannesburg, the tournament will feature eight teams, among them Kenyan league champions Nairobi City Thunder.
The other teams are City Oilers (Uganda), Urunani (Burundi), Fox Sports (South Sudan), NBA Academy, MBB (South Africa), Matero Magic (Zambia) and Brave Hearts (Malawi). The teams will be fighting for two slots reserved for East Division in Africa’s premier men’s basketball league BAL.
Reigning champions Petro de Luanda from Angola automatically qualified for 2025 BAL, and have been joined by Stade Malien of Mali and Libya’s Al Ahli SC who won the West Division finals of “Road to 2025 Basketball Africa League.”
In total, 10 teams have already qualified for 2025 BAL.
It is now the chance of teams from East Division to battle it out for two slots reserved for the region in the annual competition.
Nairobi City Thunder hope to make history as the first Kenyan team to qualify for Africa’s premier men's basketball league.
Established in 2019, the league is co-organised by National Basketball Association(NBA) Africa and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA).
Already, NBA and NTV from the Nation Media Group stable have extended their partnership to relay live NBA primer matches every weekend for another two years.
On Thursday, Otula, who also graced Nairobi City Thunder’s training session, warned the team of the big task that awaits them at the championship.
“Some of the teams coming have had Kenya as their second home, and our players might not have a big home advantage. I believe you will get the results we are looking for,” said Otula.
He congratulated Nairobi City Thunder on winning the 2024 KBF league title unbeaten, and said the team’s good run has been inspirational.
‘The game will never be the same again. Many local teams now want to do what you are doing to uplift the standards of the game, and it’s good for the game,” said Otula, adding that the matches will be relayed live. Previously self-sponsored, Nairobi City
Thunder’s fortunes changed last season when Twende Sports Management took over the club to professionalise it. The group immediately tied down the players to contracts, with instant results.
Thunder went on to beat Equity Bank 3-0 in the league’s play-off semi-finals, and overcome nine-time champions KPA 3-0 in the final to finish the season unbeaten.
Twende Sports general manager, Kooshin “Kush” Diriye welcomed the opportunity to host the tournament in Kenya.
“This is an opportunity for Nairobi City Thunder to showcase what it is made of, on home soil. I urge local fans to turn out in numbers for the matches,” Kush observed.
