BAL 2026: "We Didn’t Play Well Since The Start Of The Competition" – Maktown Flyers Guard Admits

BAL 2026: "We Didn’t Play Well Since The Start Of The Competition" – Maktown Flyers Guard Admits

Sampson Adedeji 

Maktown Flyers guard Thomas Okoh has admitted that the Nigerian champions failed to perform well throughout the 2026 Basketball Africa League Sahara Conference, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The Nigerian side crashed out of the competition after suffering defeat to ASC De Dakar in their fifth game of the conference on Sunday.

Maktown Flyers managed just one victory from five matches, a result that ended their hopes of progressing to the BAL playoffs.

Reacting after the defeat, Okoh acknowledged that the Senegalese side deserved the victory and admitted that his team struggled from the beginning of the tournament.

“They wanted it more than we did. We didn’t put in enough effort to win the game. We were slow, whereas they were ready to get the job done,” Okoh said.

“We haven't played the right way since the beginning of this competition. I believe this was our lowest-scoring game so far.

“They play as a unit and don’t rush their plays, maintaining their own pace,” he added.

The elimination marks a disappointing end to the Sahara Conference campaign for the Nigerian representatives, who entered the competition with high expectations but failed to find consistency throughout the tournament.