Nairobi City Thunder suffered their first defeat in their opening game of the Basketball Africa League falling to Dar City 90-85 on Saturday.
Less than 24 hours after beating the Johannesburg Giants, Dar City displayed tremendous resilience, outlasting the Kenyan side.
This was the Tanzanian champions’ second win in two games in the 2026 Kalahari Conference, boosting the BAL newcomers’ chances of securing one of the conference’s four playoff spots.
Although the Thunder enjoyed a comfortable opening quarter and led by 13 points at one stage in the second, their season opener turned out to be a grueling experience.
Uncertainty hung in the air until the very last seconds, when David Michineau stepped up to secure Dar City’s second victory of the season.
The Thunder stepped onto the court looking to build on their unbeaten run from the Road to BAL qualifiers last November. However, turning the ball over in the final moments proved costly for the Kenyan champions.
Thunder center Lance Thomas appeared to save the game with a block shot on Michael Foster with less than two seconds on the clock, but Foster quickly reacted by sinking the game-changing three-pointer.
This sparked Dar City to a 5–0 scoring run, dashing Nairobi City’s hopes.
Michineau led the way for Dar City, finishing with a game-high 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Nisre Zouzoua was instrumental once again, contributing 20 points. Meanwhile, Daniel Utomi added 15 points, and Foster contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
Dar City got off to a slow start, allowing the Thunder to score 61 per cent of their 31 shots in the first half, with Eugene Adera, Ariel Koranga and Derrick Ogechi leading the way with a combined 30 points.
However, their shooting efficiency dropped to 48 per cent by the end of the third quarter, and they eventually finished with a field-goal percentage of 47.
The Thunder led 50–46 at half-time, but Dar City opened the third quarter with a 7–0 scoring run, demonstrating their determination to maintain their unbeaten run.
Nairobi City Thunder forward Albert Odero was absent due to a hamstring injury.
Tylor Ongwae, who led the Thunder with 18 points, later explained to the BAL.NBA.COM the reasons behind their loss.
Ongwae admitted: “It’s a tough loss, just like last year. We have four games left, so we just need to regroup and focus on what comes next.
“The difference between the two teams was their energy; they were able to finish strong. We were 12 or 13 points ahead, but they came back. Credit to them. We need to build on today’s loss.”
Meanwhile, Foster acknowledged that Dar City are heading in the right direction.
Foster said: “It was a pretty good shot at the end, but credit to the other team. It was a close call. They wanted it too, but we wanted it even more because we’re trying to make history. We want to be the best we can be.”
“This team’s mentality starts back home with hard work and practice every day. We want to win 5–0. We want to win here and progress to the next stage.”
“We definitely have what it takes to win it all. We demonstrated that in our first game. This game against the NCT was a real battle, but we came out on top.”
Dar City return to action on Tuesday, 31 March facing Al Ahly Ly while the Thunder face the Johannesburg Giants on Sunday, 29 March.
