Al Ahly Benghazi vs Nairobi City Thunder Predictions - Battle for BAL 2026 Quarterfinals

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 03 Apr 2026

Ralph Staniforth 03 Apr 2026

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Al Ahly Benghazi and Nairobi City Thunder face a crucial match to keep BAL 2026 quarterfinal hopes alive.
Both teams stand at 1-2 in the Kalahari Conference, needing a win to advance.
Recent wins and losses highlight key areas each team must address for success.

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Watch Al Ahly Benghazi vs Nairobi City Thunder Live (Getty)

Only the winner of this clash will keep their BAL 2026 quarterfinal hopes alive. Which side will secure a crucial second victory in the tournament?

Al Ahly Still Alive

This clash will likely determine whether Al Ahly Benghazi advance to the BAL 2026 quarterfinals, as they currently sit 4th in the Kalahari Conference with a 1-2 record.

They opened the tournament with a 103-95 loss to RSSB Tigers, where Joseph Lual-Acuil’s double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) wasn’t enough to spark a second-half comeback. Donovan Williams led the scoring with 28 points.

Al Ahly failed to respond in the next round, starting slowly again (18-32 first quarter) in a 104-90 loss to Petro, despite winning the rebounding battle 40-28. Free-throw shooting was an issue (24/38).

Their playoff hopes stayed alive with an emphatic 118-97 win over Dar City on Tuesday, putting up 67 points in the second half. Majok Deng led the way with 22 points on 8/10 shooting.

Thunder Under Pressure

Nairobi City Thunder are in a similar situation, also holding a 1-2 record and needing at least one more win to stay in the race for the quarterfinals.

They nearly caused an upset against Dar City in the opener, leading by four at halftime before falling 90-85. Eugene Adera impressed with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The Kenyan champions responded with a 71-65 win over hosts Joburg Giants, despite scoring just 28 points in the second half.

However, they were outplayed by Petro in their most recent game, suffering a heavy 97-70 defeat, largely due to poor rebounding (29-41).