Thunder enter the playoffs as the only unbeaten side, having topped the regular-season standings with 44 points after winning all their 22 matches. Lakeside, meanwhile, finished eighth with 31 points, recording nine wins and 13 defeats.
Thunder enter the playoffs as the only unbeaten side, having topped the regular-season standings with 44 points after winning all their 22 matches. Lakeside, meanwhile, finished eighth with 31 points, recording nine wins and 13 defeats.
Nairobi Thunders Brendin Williams L is challenged by KPAs Tobias Onyango during the KBF Men League match at the Nyayo National Gym on September 3, 2022. Photo Sportpicha
Kisumu Lakeside head coach Abel Nson admits his side faces a daunting task when they take on defending champions Nairobi City Thunder in the Kenya National Men’s Basketball Premier League quarter-final playoffs.
The two sides will meet in Game One of the best-of-three series on Friday before returning to action on Saturday for Game Two.
A team must win two of the three matches to advance to the semi-finals.
Thunder enter the playoffs as the only unbeaten side, having topped the regular-season standings with 44 points after winning all their 22 matches. Lakeside, meanwhile, finished eighth with 31 points, recording nine wins and 13 defeats.
“Thunder is the best team in the country and has gone unbeaten for three seasons. There is no doubt about that. Seeing somebody beat them in the near future is difficult because you need to invest at the same level.
"As I always preach to my players, you only deserve the rewards of your effort and investment. Thunder cannot invest more than everybody else, do better than everyone else, and then we expect other teams to beat them,” said Nson.
Despite the gulf in form and resources, Nson insists Lakeside will not be intimidated and will use the series to showcase their potential ahead of next season.
“We are very much focused on our performance. We want to perform at our highest level and give the fans a treat and a reason to have come to the gymnasium.
"We are not yet at Thunder’s level, and we will not cheat ourselves into believing that we are. However, we will make this game worth everybody’s time.
“We will come out there and compete, put our best foot forward and, of course, as I always tell people, we will try to win. That is why we come out to play. But we do not give ourselves false hopes.
“We are definitely going to make sure that, by the end of that game, everybody knows and understands what Kisumu Lakeside is about going into next season. They will know exactly who we are,” he added.
In the other quarter-final ties, second-placed Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) will play seventh-placed Strathmore Blades in Game One, while third-placed Equity Dumas will face sixth-placed Umoja.
Fourth-placed Stanbic Shields will take on fifth-placed Ulinzi Warriors at Nyayo Gymnasium in another quarter-final clash.
Men Premier League Quarter-Final Playoffs Fixtures
Friday 4th Sept, 2026
City Thunder VS Lakeside- MP- 8PM
Saturday 5th Sept, 2026
Equity Dumas VS Umoja- MP- 2PM
Strathmore Blades VS KPA- MP-4PM
Stanbic Shields VS Ulinzi Warriors-MP-6PM
Lakeside VS City Thunder- MP-8PM
Sunday 6th Sept, 2026
Umoja VS Equity Dumas- MP-6PM
Ulinzi Warriors VS Stanbic Shields – MP-8PM
