Thunder lose Harouna, Majok signatures to BAL rivals

As preparations for this year's Basketball Africa League (BAL) intensify, Nairobi City Thunder, the first Kenyan team to qualify for the premier African men's club competition, will be without two key players in their qualification journey.

Niger international Abdoulaye Harouna and Ater Majok who were instrumental in Thunder's qualification have since been unveiled alongside Will Perry as part of AS Ville de Dakar's squad for the same competition.

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Harouna played for AS Douanes last year while Majok featured for US Monastir but for the Elite 16, the duo joined the Nairobi outfit. The former averaged 10.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and two assists in five games while Lebanese international Majok contributed 9.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game for the Bradley Ibs-coached Kenyan champions.

Perry, who finished third in last season's BAL with Rivers Hoopers, adds to Ville de Dakar's depth as they prepare to host the Sahara Conference group phase set for Saturday 26 April to Sunday 4 May at the Dakar Arena in Senegal.

The Kenyan champions, Thunder, are set to make history as the first side from the East country to play in the prestigious BAL competition after failed attempts by Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and Ulinzi Warriors. The two previous sides fell in the Elite 16 of the Road to BAL.

As the host to the Elite 16 late last year, Thunder held their own to clinch a ticket, going on to win the competition against Cape Verde's Kriol Star.

Thunder won their first Kenyan title, unbeaten, last year, made their debut in the Road to BAL East Division Group D and finished second behind Burundi's Urunani in the five-team competition in Kibaha, Tanzania.

The Tylor Ongwae-captained side won three of their four games against Seychelles' Beau Vallon Heat (89-58), Madagascar's GNBC (96-60) and hosts JKT (86-63) before losing 89-88 to Urunani for second place.

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In the Elite 16, Thunder picked up statement wins in their first two games, a 102-59 triumph over MBB Blue Soldiers of South Africa and a 104-71 victory over Kriol Star before a 91-68 victory over Malawi's Bravehearts to reach the semi-finals. City Oilers presented Thunder the final hurdle which they went over in a 72-62 show.

"It is an amazing, historic day for us. For the first time a Kenyan team will play BAL. It feels like a huge day for Kenyan basketball which is something we are proud to be a part of. If you turned around at the end of the game and saw all our fans, it was really a special moment," coach Ibs, who joined the side ahead of the 2023/24 league season, observed after their exploits at Kasarani.