South Africa’s Made By Basketball (MBB) bounce back, record first win in the Basketball Africa League (BAL)

By APO Group On May 21, 2025

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On a BAL career night (www.BAL.NBA.com), Pieter Prinsloo recorded a game-high 30 points and 11 rebounds, Teafale Lenard Jr. added 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Made By Basketball (MBB, South Africa) defeated Nairobi City Thunder (Kenya) 75-74 when the BAL Nile Conference resumed at BK Arena in Kigali on Tuesday afternoon. MBB overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half and it came down to a dramatic three-pointer from Robinson Opong, his second in the game, to get Sam Vincent’s team one-point ahead with just over three seconds left.

The Thunder were led by Evans Ganapamo (21 points) and Tylor Ongwae (20 points), but were shooting 36 percent from the floor and could not hold to the lead late in the fourth. It was MBB’s first win in the competition (1-2) as they look for a slot in the upcoming BAL Playoffs and Finals back home in Pretoria (June 6-14). After three games in Kigali, the Thunder (0-3) are still searching for a win.

In the second game, Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) beat APR (Rwanda) 90-68, becoming the only undefeated team in the Nile Conference. Jean Jacques Boissy and Naseim Badrush combined for 52 points, 11 rebounds and six steals for Al Ahli, while Obadiah Noel and Chasson Randle scored 18 points each for APR, who were missing Aliou Diarra due to injury. After three games, Al Ahli (3-0) sits on top of the Nile Conference, with APR (2-1) losing their first game in the competition.

The BAL continues on Thursday when Al Ahli takes on Nairobi at 4 p.m. CAT and APR faces MBB at 7 p.m. CAT.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:

MBB vs Nairobi City Thunder (https://apo-opa.co/3YT6kOi) (MBB: Head Coach Sam Vincent; Teafale Lenard Jr.; Thunder: Head Coach Bradley Thomas; Evans Ganapamo)
Al Ahli Tripoli vs APR (https://apo-opa.co/3H3wUy0) (Tripoli: Head Coach AbouAbou Charca Joseph Fouad; Deon Thompson; APR: Head Coach James Maye Jr.; Obadiah Noel)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).