KIGALI, Rwanda -- South Africa's Made By Ball (MBB) missed out on a chance to seal their playoff position for Pretoria next month with a game to spare, losing 85-76 to previously winless Nairobi City Thunder on Saturday.
The defeat left MBB in a precarious position. They have to beat conference leaders Al Ahli Tripoli on Sunday in order to progress to the playoffs. Otherwise, there will be no South African representative in Pretoria.
MBB were sloppy on the ball in the opening minutes, allowing NCT to take a surprise 13-3 lead. However, Teafale Lenard Jr.'s 14 first quarter points put Sam Vincent's side in the driving seat by the break with a 24-20 advantage.
The South African side started the second quarter well, but lost momentum and allowed NCT back into the game. Despite playing on his 27th birthday, Nathi Sibanyoni - the BAL's rebound record holder - was not at his best. Albert Odero and Yohane Kabongo led NCT into half-time 41-39 ahead.
MBB initially had the better of a scrappy third quarter, with Lenard Jr. their key player in every important aspect of the game at both ends. However, a three-point buzzer beater from Uchenna Iroegbu sent NCT into the final quarter 55-54 up.
Once again, MBB started well in the fourth quarter but then lost their composure. Dunks from Albert Odero and Garang Diing and the latter's subsequent free throw gave NCT a 66-58 lead with 7:28 to go. A hookshot from Diing then stretched NCT's lead to 10 points.
Lenard Jr. continued to make big shots to keep his team in the fight but none of his teammates were playing their best basketball.
NCT's faint hopes of progression rest on the slim possibility of a huge win over Rwanda's Armée Patriotique Rwandaise (APR) on Sunday. With points difference stacked against them, it is highly unlikely that the Kenyan side will progress. If APR lose to Al Ahli Tripoli in Saturday's early tip-off, NCT's chances of progression will increase.
Whatever happens to NCT from here, they have at least managed to upset the apple cart and become the first Kenyan side to win a BAL game.
Lenard Jr. can hold his head up high after 39 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks and 3 steals, but his team has some major soul-searching to do and little time to do it.