Nairobi City Thunder holds off late fightback from Johannesburg Giants to secure first win in the Kalahari Conference

The Kalahari Conference of the 2026 Basketball Africa League continued to gather intensity on Sunday as Nairobi City Thunder claimed a 71–65 win over Johannesburg Giants in Pretoria, holding off a second-half comeback to secure an important result as they went on to secure their first win in the conference.

Despite being absent from the starting five, Garang Diing proved to be the key player for the East Africans on their way to victory as he led the scorers chart with 24 points, one rebound and one assist.  The South Sudanese player went on to score 12 points of his 24 game-high points in the final quarter while Johannesburg’s Jakobi Terrell Heady stood out for the Giants, playing a major role especially in their third-quarter fightback as he registered 20 points, two rebounds and two assists and was ably assisted by Joshua Eromosele Ozabor whose all-round performance fell short at the end but went on to finish with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Thunder set the tone early in the game, taking the first quarter 18–13 with composed ball movement and efficient shot selections and then went on to increase their offensive rhythm in the second quarter, where a 25-point burst opened up a 43–31 advantage at halftime advantage as they built on their efficient shooting and defended well. 

While it was expected that they would capitalise on the positive momentum before the break, it was the homeside that emerged from the interval with some renewed purpose and they did that in style as they outran the Kenyans in the third quarter with a dominant 21-9 win to turn around the contest with an offensive onslaught and a brilliant defensive display as the game headed into the final quarter all tied at 52-52 shifting momentum firmly in favour of the home side.

However, Thunder brought in some tournament experience as they responded in the fourth quarter with a more composed play and closed out the contest with a 19–13 win in the final period to seal a six-point win that could prove crucial in the conference standings.

In the end, Thunder's first-half execution proved decisive all through the entire tie while the Giants inability to sustain their comeback ultimately proved decisive as they were left to rue a slow start despite their home court advantage. Every conference game matters as the top four teams in each conference will advance to the 2026 BAL Playoffs in May.