Nairobi City Thunder’s point guard Griffin Ligare believes his team has what it takes to make a repeat performance in the 2024/25 KBF Premier League season.
Thunder swept defending champions Kenya Ports Authority 3-0 in the best-of-five final series to secure their first-ever league title while also finishing the season unbeaten.
They edged out KPA in Game One with a 73-70 thriller and followed it up with a 59-50 win in Game Two. They sealed their dominance with a commanding 84-48 victory in Game Three.
Ligare, a Thunder stalwart for nearly 15 years, was the standout performer in the decisive game, dropping 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Impressively, 12 of those points came from five successful three-point attempts.
Speaking as he received the SJAK/LG (Sports Journalist Association of Kenya) award for July, Ligare exuded confidence that the team can claim the title and go unbeaten again.
“We didn’t set out to go unbeaten but it just clicked. Next season, we’re aiming to do it all over again and defend our crown. It’s attainable,” Ligare asserted.
However, he remains grounded, acknowledging that other teams will be gunning for their spot.
“In the 2025 season, everyone will up their game. We expect more competition from the other sides because no one is looking to lose back-to-back,” he stated.
Reflecting on their historic season, Ligare pointed out the stable financial base and astute recruitment policy from the team’s management as key to their success.
“The management came in and set the right ecosystem in the club. That highly motivated us as players along with the recruitment of some top players,” Ligare said.
He also highlighted the impact of coach Brad Ibs, who fostered a strong team culture and cohesion. “Coach Brad instilled a winning culture. He makes everyone feel involved, which drives us to perform,” Ligare said.
Thunder’s unbeaten run and maiden league title will undoubtedly inspire their rivals to elevate their game.
“I believe what we did last season will be a motivation for the other sides to perform and also up their game,” he noted.
With their league triumph, Thunder earned the right to represent Kenya at the qualifiers for the 2025 Basketball Africa League (BAL).
Ligare hopes the experience on the continental stage will fuel their domestic ambitions.
“We want to use the BAL qualifiers as a benchmark to gain experience ahead of the coming season. If we go past the qualifying rounds, it will be a huge achievement but should we not, we want to come back and do even better,” he highlighted.
Thunder will face tough opposition in the qualifiers, including Cameroon’s Kadji Sports Academy, Gabon’s Moanda, Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli, Tanzania’s JKT, and Mozambique’s Costa do Sol.
