BY PHILLIP ORWA
Team BCG has attributed their recent triumph at the Nairobi Lite Quest, which saw them secure Kenya’s ticket to the FIBA 3×3 Singapore Lion City Challenger, to constant competition at BingwaFest.
The FIBA 3×3 Singapore Lion City Challenger is scheduled for June 26–28, 2026, at the Singapore Sports Hub. The three-day event will bring together top-ranked Challenger teams and offers significant ranking points.
Team captain Davies Siaji singled out BingwaFest as a platform that contributed immensely to their win at the qualifier, noting that they are ready for the task in Singapore.
“We’ve built momentum through BingwaFest. Those competitions gave us the pressure-tested experience to perform when it counts. Constant competition with top referees from the federation kept us on our toes, and that came in handy at the Nairobi Lite Quest. We have heightened our preparations for the international challenge ahead, and we are ready to represent Kenya in Singapore,” Nzioka said.
The back-to-back BingwaFest national champions, comprising Siaji, Alex Nzuki, Patrick Otango, and Brans Nzioka, saw off Team Simba 21-14 in the final of the tournament held at Umoja Basketball Court a week ago to book their slot for the Singapore showdown.
They beat Uknighted Legends 21-7 in their opening match before seeing off 17-11, then wrapped up their group action with a hard-fought 18-17 win over Equity Dumas. They edged out Ulinzi Vipers 22-13 in the quarterfinals, then went on to hammer Chipukizi 22-13 for a convincing semi-final win. In the final, BCG’s victory at the Nairobi Lite Quest did not only earn the quartet a place in Singapore but also delivered valuable FIBA federation and individual ranking points that bolster Kenya’s global and continental standing on the FIBA 3×3 rankings.
Kenya currently sits third in Africa and 36th globally in FIBA’s combined federation rankings.
BingwaFest, Kenya’s premier multi-sport tournament, has been instrumental in Team BCG’s development and, more broadly, in elevating Kenya’s standing in global 3×3 basketball.
Cynthia Mumbo, BingwaFest’s Championship Director, framed BCG’s qualification as evidence of the festival’s role in giving talented players across different disciplines a platform to showcase and further their talents.
“BingwaFest is a movement transforming Kenyan sport. Our efforts to give these talents a platform are directly contributing to stronger FIBA rankings, and now we have more exposure. We are incredibly proud to see teams like BCG, a mainstay team in the competitive fires of BingwaFest, now representing Kenya internationally. This is a testament to the talent here and the platforms we are building to showcase it.”
Last month, BCG successfully defended their BingwaFest title after beating Basket Bros 20-14 in the men’s final at Kinoru Stadium, Meru.
