Nairobi City Thunder sink KPA in game one of 2025 KNBL finals

The impeccable Nairobi City Thunder got off to a perfect start in the 2025 Kenya Basketball National League final playoffs, overwhelming Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 81-47 at the Makande Gymnasium in Mombasa on Saturday evening. Thunder’s forward Albert Odero (193-G-1997, college: Talladega) led Brad Ibs’ side with 14 points, while captain Tyler Ongwae and Eugine Adera each chipped in 12. South Sudanese international point guard Garang Diing rounded out the trio of double-digit scorers for Thunder, contributing to their dominant performance in the best-of-five series opener.
Meanwhile, the Dockers struggled to penetrate Thunder’s stifling defense, with only Tobias Odhiambo managed to reach double figures with 12 points. The closest support came from Salim Kisilu, who sank three shots from beyond the arc to finish with nine. In the opening quarter at Makande, both teams came out aggressive and tightly contested every possession. However, it was Thunder who edged ahead, taking a 20-12 lead to establish an early eight-point cushion. This early success was fueled by a combined 14 points from Diing and Adera, who each scored seven, while Odero added four.
On the opposing side, despite KPA’s offensive efforts, they were kept in check. Their 12-point tally in the first quarter came through Martin Buluma and Tobias Odhiambo (four points each), Lennox Wanje (three), and Desmond Owili (one from the free-throw line). The second quarter followed a similar script, as Thunder the unbeaten side, excelled in every department. They took the period 21-13, stretching their lead to 41-25 at halftime. Diing was already in double digits with 10 points for Thunder, while Tobias Odhiambo also tallied 10 points across the two quarters for the trailing hosts. Things unraveled further for the Dockers in the third quarter as Thunder maintained their grip on the game, winning the segment 22-16 to extend the overall lead to 63-41. Although buoyed by their home crowd, KPA couldn’t withstand the relentless pressure from City Thunder. The visitors capped off the rout with an 18-6 run in the fourth quarter, sealing an emphatic 81-47 victory – a crushing 34-point margin.
It was a devastating opener for the hosts, who will be looking to regroup ahead of Game Two on Sunday, once again at the Makande Gymnasium, with tip-off scheduled for 4:00 PM EAT.
Courtesy of: sportpesa.com