WITH just three seconds remaining and his team trailing by two points, Robinson Opong let fly a desperate three-pointer that silenced the BK Arena before sending the Made By Basketball bench into frenzied celebration.
The dramatic 75-74 victory over Nairobi City Thunder marked South Africa’s MBB franchise’s first win in Basketball Africa League competition, completing an improbable 18-point second-half comeback that kept their playoff hopes alive.
Pieter Prinsloo dominated the court with a monstrous 30-point, 11-rebound performance while Teafale Lenard Jr. delivered a complete game with 20 points, six rebounds and five assists. But it was Opong’s clutch shooting that sealed coach Sam Vincent’s masterful second-half adjustments.
The Thunder, still winless after three conference games, wasted strong individual performances from Evans Ganapamo (21 points) and Tylor Ongwae (20 points). Their offence stalled when it mattered most, shooting a dismal 36 percent and failing to execute in the closing minutes.
In the day’s second matchup, Al Ahli Tripoli established themselves as the Nile Conference’s sole undefeated team (3-0) with a commanding 90-68 victory over APR of Rwanda. The Libyan powerhouse was fueled by Jean Jacques Boissy and Naseim Badrush, who combined for a devastating 52 points.
APR (2-1) struggled without injured star Aliou Diarra despite 18-point efforts from both Obadiah Noel and Chasson Randle.
The BAL Nile Conference continues Thursday with Al Ahli facing the reeling Thunder at 4 p.m. CAT, while APR looks to bounce back against suddenly dangerous MBB at 7 p.m. CAT. The top four teams from the conference will advance to the BAL Playoffs and Finals in Pretoria (June 6-14).
