Tag: Rivers Hoopers

  • Unbeaten Rivers Hoopers hammer Oluyole Warriors

    Unbeaten Rivers Hoopers hammer Oluyole Warriors

    Rivers Hoopers made it a second consecutive victory following their 77-43 win over Oluyole Warriors in the Atlantic Conference in Benin.

    Hoopers shot to a 16-2 lead midway through the first quarter and stretched it to an 18-point lead at halftime.

    The KingsMen dominated the second half, and the helpless Warriors were left defeated for a second game in a row.

    “We are getting enough practice, and the games are not stressful right now at this stage, ” said Hoopers’  head coach Ogoh Odaudu. ”We are getting players to rest a lot, so we are rotating the 12 players on the bench, which is good for us, and the opposition is not too tough, so we have been getting enough practice.”

    ”Odaudu added: ” We are taking it as our daily practice sessions. I know it will get tougher, but we are content with what we have, and we are hoping we get better at every game.”

    Three Hoopers’ players finished in double figures  including Patrick Abah (11), Ifeanyi Koko (11) and Michael Daramola (11) for a  combined  33 points.

    Read Also: Super Eagles: Okumagba urges NFF to employ local coach

    Abah added 4 rebounds, made 2/5 from deep, and went 50% from the line. Koko also added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, while Daramola contributed 3 rebounds and 6 assists.

    Despite not scoring in double figures, Victor Mohammed and Samuel Sani were both efficient from the boards for a second consecutive game. While Mohammed grabbed 8 rebounds with 3 assists and 1 steal, Sani had 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.

    The KingsMen had 13 turnovers in the game, made 8-of-16 from the line, and shot 5-threes in the game.

    Rivers Hoopers will next play against Police Batons  today at 12:30 p.m.

    Ahead of the game against Police Batons, Odaudu expects an aggressive Batons team but says his team will not rest on their efforts until the final buzzer.

    “Every game against Police Batons is always aggressive. We won’t rest on our oars until the final buzzer. We won’t underrate them. Police can surprise you. We would have a specific game plan against Police Batons,” he said.

  • Rivers Hoopers begin title defence with victory

    Rivers Hoopers begin title defence with victory

    Defending champions Rivers Hoopers started their title defence with an 87-39 win over south-south rivals Delta Force in Benin.

    Hoopers started strong with a 27-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and further extended it to 48-17 over Delta Force, who struggled from both ends of the floor.

    The second quarter was no different as the KingsMen continued to annihilate their opponents from Asaba.

    Ifeanyi Koko scored 18 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals to go with it. Koko also shot 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 1/3 from the line.

    MVP of the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) Abel Offia added 15 points, 4 assists, and knocked down two-threes in the game, while Patrick Abah shot 10 points and 4 rebounds and went 100% from the foul line.

    Read Also: Rivers Hoopers begin Premier B’ball League title defence Oct.25

    On his league debut, Samuel was a delight to watch in front of the Edo fans who came to watch. The former High Flyers of Benin center player had 11 points from 5-6 FG, which included three dunks in the game. Sani added 4 rebounds and made 1/2 from the line.

    It was also another great debut for Victor Sunday, who shot 8 points on 4-4 shooting, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds from the bench.

    Buchi Nwaiwu and Victor Mohammed both contributed from the boards with 8 and 10 rebounds made, respectively.

    The KingsMen will play Oluyole Warriors in their next game  today  at 10:30 a.m.

  • RIVERS HOOPERS TARGET SIXTH TITLE

    RIVERS HOOPERS TARGET SIXTH TITLE

    • Basketball :Odaudu targets sixth league title with Rivers Hoopers

    Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu has set his sights on winning the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League with the Port Harcourt team for the sixth time in history.

    Odaudu, who has been in charge of the team since 2009, won consecutive league titles in 2011 and 2012 after their 2010 final defeat to Kano Pillars.

    The longest serving technical manager at Hoopers has gone ahead to win three more titles in 2019, 2021, and 2023, which was hosted in Port Harcourt.

    Rivers Hoopers will face off against Hoops and Read, Kwara Falcons, Police Batons, Lagos Legends, Delta Force, Ebun Comets, and Oluyole Warriors in the Atlantic Conference.

    The top four teams from the Atlantic and Savannah Conferences will advance to the final eight, billed for 13-19 November in a yet-to-be decided venue.

    Ahead of the league, which tips off on Sunday, Odaudu says his team is battle-ready to defend their title.

    ”We are as ready as we can be. We have been putting in a lot of hard work all the way from Port Harcourt, even before we competed in the CDS tournament. That tournament was made for us to actually test run our players and see if we still have what it takes.

    ”We proved ourselves that it was a good stepping stone for us, and we have built on that success heading here. We are hoping we are going to replicate the success in Abuja here and pick one of the final four slots from here.”

    Read Also: Rivers Hoopers begin Premier B’ball League title defence Oct.25

    Odaudu stated: ”Our goal is to win the league and go back to the Basketball Africa League next year.”

    ”Winning this conference is not an achievement. Well, you will have the bragging rights as conference champions, but the major thing is the final eight and winning the final eight. This is still the preparatory stage for us. We are going to take every game as it comes; we are not underrating anyone. We are going to play hard, practice hard, and prepare for the final 8.

    ”Our goal is to win the league and go back to the BAL so we can continue from where we stopped, Odaudu reiterated. We don’t want to wait another one or two seasons before we go back there and start from scratch. We want to continue from where we stopped.”

    The KingsMen will play their opening game of the Atlantic Conference against Delta Force today, October 27.

  • Rivers Hoopers begin Premier B’ball League title defence Oct.25

    Rivers Hoopers begin Premier B’ball League title defence Oct.25

    Rivers Hoopers will tip off their title defence when the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League begins on 25th  October.

    According to a press statement released by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to all teams, the league will be held in two phases: the first phase and the final eight.

    Atlantic and Savannah conferences will be played in Benin and Jos, respectively, from 25th October to 3rd November.  

    Read Also: Appointment of  Super Eagles coach underway, says Gusau

    Hoopers will play against Lagos Legends, Police Batons, Delta Force, Kwara Falcons, Comets, Oluyole Warriors, and Hoops and Read in the Atlantic Conference in Benin.  

    The top four teams from each of the conferences will advance to the final eight, billed for 13-19 November in a yet-to-be-decided venue.

    The champion will represent Nigeria at the 2025 Basketball Africa League.

  • Unstoppable Rivers Hoopers win CDS B’ball Championship

    Unstoppable Rivers Hoopers win CDS B’ball Championship

    Reigning champions of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League, Rivers Hoopers, on Sunday  emerged champions of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Independence Day Basketball Championship after their 72-59 win over City Chiefs at the Mo Arena in Abuja.

    It is the second time in five days the KingsMen have beaten the Titled Men at the CDS Championship in Abuja and the third time in almost a year.

    Hoopers defeated City Chiefs in the opening game of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final four in Port Harcourt last year.

    Abel Offia, who was awarded the most valuable player, scored a game-high 20 points, shot 2-of-3 three-pointers, and went 6/6 from the free throw line.

    New Rivers Hoopers recruit Patrick Abah added 16 points,  six rebounds, and two  assists.

    Read Also: Fans beg NFF not to retain Eguavoen for Super Eagles

    The former City Chiefs forward had 70% field goals, including 2/3 three-pointers in 27 minutes while Buchi Nwaiwu helped defensively shooting 7 points and making 9 rebounds with 3 assists and 2 blocks to go with it

    Hoopers had taken a 19-10 lead after the first quarter, but a slow start to the second quarter and missed baskets found their lead cut down to 2 at the break.

    With two minutes left to play, Hoopers took advantage of consecutive turnovers made by Chiefs to score eight points and extend their lead to 13 points. Chiefs had little or no answer as the KingsMen ran the clock down to emerge champions.

    Next for Rivers Hoopers is to return to Port Harcourt and prepare for the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League Phase one in two weeks’ time in Benin, Edo State.

  • CDS B’ball Tourney: Rivers Hoopers advance to quarterfinals

    CDS B’ball Tourney: Rivers Hoopers advance to quarterfinals

    Rivers Hoopers have qualified for the quarterfinals of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Independence Basketball Championship after they defeated Bauchi Nets 55-50 at the Mo Arena in Abuja.

    The Ogoh Odaudu-led team started the game with consecutive three-pointers to end the first quarter with a one-point lead, 13-12.

    The second quarter was a low-scoring game for the two teams who failed to score, but it was Hoopers who took a three-point lead (22-19) to the break.

    Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu was disappointed in his team, who played with less aggression against Nets.

    Asked about how he felt about the two wins against City Chiefs and Bauchi Nets, Odaudu said, “We played terribly in both games, but it was expected we have not played competitive basketball since we finished for the Basketball Africa League, so I didn’t expect anything less. We will keep working, getting better, and pushing hard.

    The KingsMen were down by five with two minutes left to play but crawled their way back at crunch time to seal their spot in the quarterfinals.

    Read Also: NFF confirms Eguavoen for Super Eagles

    ”It’s a great tournament, and we are using it to test ourselves and how far we can go. It is a good practice session for us ahead of the league later this month.

    Odaudu made comparisons between their two opening games played on Wednesday and Thursday (today).

    ”We didn’t play very well; yesterday’s game was more experienced than the team we played today. It was a lack of aggression on our part that happened today.”

    The Hoopers boss said he has two targets for the CDS tournament and hopes to accomplish both. 

    ”Our goal is to see how our team is and to win the prize money attached to the tournament. It will be good to kill two birds with one stone. Test our team, get prepared for the league, and win the prize money, but every team comes with the intent of winning, and ours is a podium finish.

    The KingsMen will play their last group game against Gilali today.

  • CDS B’ball Tourney: Resolute Rivers Hoopers  edge Gboko City Chiefs

    CDS B’ball Tourney: Resolute Rivers Hoopers  edge Gboko City Chiefs

    Rivers Hoopers beat Gboko City Chiefs 51-46 in their opening game of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Independence Basketball Championship at the Mo Arena in Abuja on Wednesday.

    It was not the best of games for the KingsMen, who were playing their first competitive game after the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in May. 

    They turned over the ball multiple times and gave out too many possessions to their opponents from Gboko. 

    Read Also: Mbappe to miss Madrid first away fixture in UCL title Defence

    The titled men held a four-point lead for most part of the game, leaving Hoopers to chase the game too.

    With a four-point deficit (36-40) into the fourth quarter, the KingsMen were left with no choice but to control the game if they wanted a different outcome.

    Hoopers, who tied the game 44-44 with 1:37 minutes remaining, outscored the Chiefs 7-2 from the line to pick up their first win of the competition against the determined City Chiefs.

  • Al Ahly Libya stop Rivers Hoopers ‘ BAL dream in Kigali

    Al Ahly Libya stop Rivers Hoopers ‘ BAL dream in Kigali

    The fairytale run for the Nigerian champions, Rivers Hoopers at the 2024 Basketball Africa League came to a halt after their 89-83 semi-final defeat to Al Ahly Benghazi of Libya in Kigali.

    Hoopers, who were written off at the start of the season, had a 5-3 record going into the semi-final game and a quarter-final defeat of 2022 champions US Monastir of Tunisia.

    Kelvin Amayo scored a team-high 26 points and added 15 rebounds for a double-double, with six assists and four steals to go with it.

    Devine Eke also added a double-double, 25 points, and 12 rebounds in 42 minutes played on the floor.

    Will Perry (16) and David Ike (10) were the other players who finished in double figures for Hoopers. Victor Anthony Koko and Peter Olisemeka both had nine rebounds each.

    As a result of a poor start to the game in the first quarter, Rivers Hoopers trailed by 10 (14-24). The gap was later cut down to 3 with 22 seconds left to play at 21-24.

    Al Ahly’s Kevin Marquis Murphy scored a buzzer-beater to extend their lead to seven at the end of the first quarter. It was further extended to a 16-point game, which was later cut down to 11 at halftime.

    The KingsMen came back with better intensity as they shot three consecutive buckets to cut the gap to nine. Anthony was instrumental for Hoopers from inside the paint, picking up rebounds and helping out on defense.

    Read Also: Usyk vs Fury rematch set for December – Official

    The third quarter was the best quarter for Hoopers at both ends of the floor, as they outscored Al Ahly Benghazi 23-8.

    Hoopers, who held a six-point lead at the start of the fourth, saw their lead cut down and later tied at 73-73 with 1:12 seconds left to play.

    Al Ahly stretched the game to overtime and also shot better with 16 points scored while Hoopers struggled on the offensive end.

    The Libyans did enough to earn their first ever appearance in the Basketball Africa League.

    A disappointed Rivers Hoopers head coach, Ogoh Odaudu said his team will put the loss behind them and be back for the third place game.

    ”Nobody gave us a chance, but we will raise our heads high. Nobody thought we would be here today, and here we are,” said Odaudu. ”It’s quite unfortunate the fairytale run has ended. We will try and make sure we come back and take the bronze medal game.”

    Next for Rivers Hoopers is the third-place game against the loser between Petro de Luanda and Cape Town Tigers on Friday.

  • Rivers Hoopers through to historic BAL semi final

    Rivers Hoopers through to historic BAL semi final

     Rivers Hoopers  have defeated  US Monastir to clinch a historic semi-final berth at 2024 Basketball Africa league

    Nigeria’s representative at the ongoing 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), Rivers Hoopers BC, achieved the historic feat of reaching their first ever semi-final at the tournament after earning a tough 92-88 victory over former BAL Champions US Monastir of Tunisia in the quarter-final.

    Rivers Hoopers went into the quarterfinal encounter on the back of consecutive defeats; against US Monastir in the final game of the Sahara Conference, and AS Douanes (Senegal) during the classification round at the BAL Playoffs in Kigali, Rwanda.

    On the other hand, US Monastir were riding the wave of four straight wins.

    However, it was the KingsMen, Rivers Hoopers, who started brighter and looked on the front foot until late in the opening quarter, when US Monastir rallied to take a slim one-point advantage as the first quarter ended 21-20 in favour of the Tunisians.

    Rivers Hoopers increased the intensity in the second quarter and enjoyed a brilliant scoring run to end the quarter 25-19 for a five-point lead at halftime, with the scores at 45-40 in favour of the Hoopers.

    Both Rivers Hoopers and US Monastir had met on three separate occasions prior to the quarter-final encounter. US Monastir defeated Rivers Hoopers during the maiden edition of the BAL, while both teams recorded one win each from their meetings at this year’s Sahara Conference.

    The third quarter showed the competitive nature of both teams as they battled for every possession, with Rivers Hoopers edging their Tunisian opponents 23-22 to take a 6-point lead into the fourth quarter, with the scoreboard reading 68-62 in favour of the KingsMen.

    Read Also: Chelsea in talks with Leicester manager Maresca

    A tense fourth quarter saw US Monastir edge Rivers Hoopers by two points, with scores of 26–24 in favour of the Tunisians.

    But it was the Hoopers who roared loudest at the final buzzer as they held on for a nervy 4-point win, as the final result stood at 92-88 in favour of the KingsMen.

    Will Perry, who played every second of the contest, was named the game’s top performer as he put up a game-high 33 points along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Three players hit double-doubles for the Rivers Hoopers, as Kelvin Amayo finished with 18 points and 10 assists, Peter Olisemeka had 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Devine Eke put up 16 points and 12 rebounds.

    The result means Rivers Hoopers are the first Nigerian side to reach the last four at Africa’s biggest club basketball championship.

    Up next for the KingsMen is a date with Libya’s Al Ahly for a place in the championship game. The game will take place on Wednesday, 29th May, at the BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda.

  • BAL 24: Rivers Hoopers land in Rwanda

    BAL 24: Rivers Hoopers land in Rwanda

    Nigeria’s representatives at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), Rivers Hoopers yesterday landed in Kigali, Rwanda ahead of the competition which dunks off on May 24th .

    A post on the official X handle of Rivers Hoopers hinted: “The KingsMen have arrived in Kigali, Rwanda for the Playoffs. Dakar was good, Kigali be great.”

    The KingsMen will face AS Douanes of Senegal in one of the four seeding games in the playoffs in Kigali on May 24th.

    The two teams played against each other twice in the Sahara Conference that ended last week in Dakar, Senegal with each winning one game apiece.

    The winner between Hoopers and AS Douanes (Game 40) will play against the winner between Petro de Luanda (Angola) and US Monastir of Tunisia (Game 39) in the semi-final, while the loser of the tie will square up against the loser of Game 39 in the quarter final.

    Read Also: Rivers to celebrate Fubara with  International Marathon

    Meanwhile, Nigeria’s hip-hop star, Adekunle Kosoko aka Adekunle Gold and AG Baby, are  among the list of top celebrities who will perform at the 2024 African Basketball League playoffs in Kigali.

    The finals usually attract top celebrities from both the sports and music community globally with special performances to spice up the halftime show atmosphere.

    And this time around, BAL 4 playoffs will feature performances by local and international acts, including the likes of Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Rwanda’s very own The Ben, Chris Eazy, Ish Kevin, Kevin Kade, Ariel Wayz, Kivumbi King, Bwiza, Ishami Talent, Inganzi Ngari cultural troupe and Kenny Sol.

    The selected artists will perform during the halftime shows of the finals.