Obadiah Noel’s Game-Winning Three Sends APR Past Nairobi City Thunder to BAL Playoffs in Thriller

Obadiah Noel’s Game-Winning Three Sends APR Past Nairobi City Thunder to BAL Playoffs in Thriller

In what can only be described as a basketball thriller, APR stole a dramatic 77-74 win over the Nairobi City Thunder (NCT). The game had fans on the edge of their seats until the very last second. The highlight? A cold-blooded three-pointer from Obadiah Noel with just four seconds left on the clock—a dagger that silenced the Thunder and shattered Kenyan hearts.

From the tip-off, the Nairobi City Thunder showed poise, power, and purpose. They came out blazing and never looked back — at least not until the final moments. Dominating every quarter, NCT kept the scoreboard ticking ahead of APR, fueled by the explosive performance of Albert Odero, who dropped a game-high 29 points. Uchenna Iroegbu added a solid 16 points along with him, maintaining the offensive rhythm that gave NCT the edge for most of the contest.

APR refused to fold. APR began chipping away at the lead with fierce determination as the game wore on. Youssoupha Ndoye was a force in the paint and on the boards, putting up 18 points and tying the game at 74 with just 4:34 left to play. His effort, combined with 22 points and BAL record eight blocks in one game from Aliou Diarra and 11 from Chasson Randle, brought the Rwandan side storming back into contention.

The final minutes were a defensive slugfest with tense, tactical, and missed opportunities. With the score tied at 74-74, the game seemed destined for overtime. Obadiah Noel pulled up from beyond the arc and drained a three-pointer with three seconds left in a moment of pure clutch brilliance.

The shot was a dagger, the moment that lives on in highlight reels and fan memories alike. It gave APR the final word. With a timeout, NCT left for a play for Iroegbu, but his three-point attempt for the tie clanged off the rim as the buzzer sounded. APR 77, NCT 74 end of game and APR is off to the Playoffs in Pretoria

A visibly emotional Ndoye shared with us his thoughts

it was amazing this was the goal to win this game, try and have a good seed heading to South Africa. We had to stay positive because we knew NCT is very tough to play. we were trying to keep the pace and wait for our moment.

What a game. What a finish.

[Photography Courtesy of The BAL]