By Victor Kanayo
Six-time Nigerian Basketball League champions, Rivers Hoopers, have been knocked out of the Basketball Africa League (BAL), after they suffered their biggest defeat in the history of the competition.
It was a 31-point loss to Rwanda’s APR in a quarter-final encounter at the ongoing BAL season five, which ended 104-73.
After both teams struggled to score any points during the opening minute of the game, APR found their rhythm with effective shooting and good perimeter defence to close out the first quarter 24-11, as the KingsMen struggled to get into their groove.
During the first quarter, APR scored 14 while Rivers Hoopers had four, highlighting the early dominance of the Rwandese at both ends.
While the KingsMen struggled to get going in the game, APR’s trio of Aliou Diarra (13), Chasson Randle (13), and Nuni Omot (12) ran the show, with each player hitting double figures for points by the halfway mark to give the Rwandan champions a lofty 25-point lead at 57-32.
Hoopers Head Coach, Ogoh Odaudu, tried to change things from the bench with the reintroduction of Kelvin Amayo, Raphael Putney, Peter Olisemeka, and Ahmed Doumbia after the half-time break.
The move seemed to have an immediate impact as the KingsMen cut the deficit by seven points inside the first four minutes of the second half. But APR responded with a dominant 3-minute spell to re-establish a 31-point lead heading into the final quarter.
Things moved from bad to worse for the KingsMen after Raphael Putney, who notched 12 points as the team’s second best-shooter on the day, was ejected from the game with a fifth personal foul within two minutes of the fourth quarter.
However, the Nigerian champions rallied to put up their best showing of the game, with Madut Akec scoring seven of his game-high 21 points to end the quarter at 21-21, but the damage had already been done as APR ran out 104-73 winners.
Maxi Shamba (10) was the only other player to reach double figures for the KingsMen.
Meanwhile, APR had four players score at least 10 points, as they dominated in the paint, outscoring Rivers Hoopers 52-32, while notching up 32 points from the bench.
Hoopers managed only 18 bench points, with Chingka Garba particularly impressive, grabbing seven points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals off the bench.
The result means APR will face Libya’s Al Ahly in the semi-final on Wednesday, June 11, while Rivers Hoopers must now return home to prepare for the domestic season.
