With the final automatic playoff spot on the line in the 2025 BAL Nile Conference, APR took care of business, storming back from behind to snatch a dramatic 77-74 victory over Nairobi City Thunder (NCT) in front of a roaring home crowd at BK Arena.
The game didn’t start the way the Rwandan champions might have hoped. After scoring the first four points, the Lions found themselves trailing by the end of the first quarter, as the Thunder—Kenya’s finest—seized control early. Albert Odero lit up the court for the visitors, dropping 25 points by halftime and finishing with a game-high 29.
Home fans looked nervous, but coach James Maye Jr. ensured his players didn't panic. One possession at a time, the hosts clawed their way back. When they managed to erase a 15-point deficit and dig themselves out of a deep hole, the game came down to the wire.
Rwanda's representatives tied the game at 68-all with 4:38 left, thanks to a couple of treys and a layup from Axel Mpoyo. The lanky 6'8 forward woke up when needed most. Just over a minute later, center Youssou Ndoye gave his team its first second-half lead by splitting a pair of free throws.
But the Thunder weren’t done. Nigerian guard Uchenna Iruegbu tied the game from the charity stripe, then hit a clutch three-pointer to push NCT ahead 72-69 with two minutes to play. The tension was felt from courtside to the rafters. The playoffs were slipping away—until Obadiah Noel rose to the occasion.
Aliou Diarra had another epic performance, setting a new BAL blocks record with eight rejections, to go with 22 points and 16 rebounds. With Diarra and Ndoye patrolling the paint, APR frustrated the Thunder late in the game, forcing crucial turnovers that shifted momentum back to the home side.
Then came the biggest shot of the tournament: Noel's cold-blooded three-pointer with three seconds left to win the game.
With the game tied at 74 and only seconds remaining, Noel—who had been relatively quiet in the fourth—took control. As the shot clock wound down, he and Diarra executed a hesitant pick-and-roll that seemed off-script. But it was all part of the plan.
"We weren’t lost. We just needed to adjust our spacing,” Noel said afterward. “I saw them coming. I couldn’t force it. I passed the ball to Diarra, got it back, and he set the screen. Then—you know what happened. I made the shot, and it went down. I give all glory to God.”
BK Arena erupted. The noise was deafening. Fans jumped to their feet. Bench-occupying teammates rushed to the floor. The Lions had done it.
Outside the arena, in the streets of Kigali and beyond, cheers could be heard as Rwandans celebrated the team's successful mission to the playoffs.
With the win, APR finished second in the Nile Conference, officially clinching a spot in the 2025 BAL Playoffs. Morocco's FUS Rabat claimed the final playoff berth as the best third-placed team across the Kalahari and Nile Conferences.
APR’s mission is far from over—but on this unforgettable night, the Lions struck the thunder and roared louder.