Nairobi City Thunder completed an unbeaten three-peat as Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) League champions after defeating Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) 74–70 in Game 3 of the best-of-five playoff final at Kasarani.
The champions had opened the final with a dramatic 78–67 overtime victory over KPA in Game 1 on Saturday, September 26, after Eugene Adera hit a three-pointer with two seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. Thunder then outscored KPA 19–8 in overtime to take a 1–0 series lead.
NCT then followed that with a 72–63 victory in Game 2 at Makande Gymnasium on Sunday, September 27, putting them one win away from retaining their title. Tylor Ongwae led Thunder with 20 points in Game 2, while Derrick Ogechi added 18 and Eugene Adera contributed 11.
Thunder, who entered the final unbeaten, sealed the championship 3–0 after following up victories in Games 1 and 2 with another hard-fought win against KPA.
I&M’s Bank Asst Gen. Manager, Legal Department, Andrew Muchina said:
“Congratulations to NCT for the win. The players were meticulous in their preparation and that is what we want to be associated with. I had the opportunity to speak to them and they appreciated the tools we presented to them to help them from a financial perspective even after basketball. This is why we have such lartnership. It is very good to have a winning side on our side,” Muchina said.
KPA started strongly and took a 27–18 lead after the opening quarter, before Thunder reduced the deficit to six points at halftime, trailing 35–29. The champions then produced their strongest spell of the game in the third quarter, outscoring KPA 24–13 to take a 53–48 lead into the final period.
Thunder held their nerve in the fourth quarter to close out the 74–70 victory and complete the series sweep.
Captain Tylor Ongwae led Thunder with 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Garang Diing added 15 points and six rebounds. Derrick Ogechi contributed 13 points, with Eugene Adera finishing with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.
For KPA, Salim Kisilu led the scoring with 17 points, followed by Tobias Odhiambo with 13.
The result brought the curtain down on a memorable season for Thunder, who have established themselves as the dominant force in the KBF League over the past three seasons.
The championship also marks another milestone in the partnership between I&M Bank and Nairobi City Thunder, with the bank supporting the team during a season in which the club successfully defended its league title.
Thunder’s Head Coach Brad Ibs praised his players for their resilience after recovering from an early deficit to secure the championship, terming the game a n intense one.
“It was a very intense series and KPA were a very competitive season. This was a testimony of how we go about our work despite having a great team. We had financial training sessions two times and that boosted the morale of these players. Financial management is one of the things that can derail your life as a player. I hope everyone appreciates these guys will to win,” Ib’s said.
Speaking after returning 15 points for the home team, Garang Diing said:
“KPA brought us their best and it was a very entertaining good. I&M have been v3ry encouraging to us from both fronts, both financial and beyond the court. We have had financial literacy sessions with them to understand money more. Thank you, our fans, for coming out today to support us.” Diing said.
This was the third season in a row that Nairobi City Thunder won the league unbeaten since a similar peat in 2024.
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