Rivers Hoopers reach historic semi-final in 2024 Basketball Africa League
Rivers Hoopers BC, Nigeria’s representatives at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), made history by reaching their first-ever semi-final.
They achieved this by winning a tough quarter-final match against US Monastir of Tunisia, with a final score of 92-88.
The Hoopers had faced challenges leading up to this game, coming off two consecutive losses: one against US Monastir in the Sahara Conference final and another against AS Douanes of Senegal in the classification round at the BAL Playoffs in Kigali, Rwanda. In contrast, US Monastir was in good form, having won their last four games.
The match began with the Hoopers showing strong performance. However, by the end of the first quarter, US Monastir had a slight edge, leading 21-20.
In the second quarter, the Hoopers stepped up their game, outscoring US Monastir 25-19, which gave them a 45-40 lead at halftime.
As the game progressed, both teams fought hard for every point. The third quarter was closely contested, but the Hoopers managed to maintain their lead, finishing the quarter ahead 68-62. The fourth quarter was intense, with US Monastir outscoring the Hoopers 26-24. Despite this, the Hoopers held on to their lead and secured a narrow victory with a final score of 92-88.
Will Perry was the standout player, playing the entire game and scoring a game-high 33 points. He also contributed five rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Kelvin Amayo, Peter Olisemeka, and Devine Eke also made significant contributions, each achieving double-doubles. Amayo scored 18 points and made 10 assists, Olisemeka added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Eke had 16 points and 12 rebounds.
This victory marks a significant milestone as Rivers Hoopers are the first Nigerian team to reach the semi-finals of the Basketball Africa League.
Their next challenge will be against Libya’s Al Ahly for a spot in the final. This crucial game is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda.
