In a historic achievement, Rivers Hoopers BC, Nigeria’s representative at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL), secured their first-ever semi-final spot in the tournament.
They earned a hard-fought 92-88 victory over former BAL Champions US Monastir of Tunisia in the quarter-final. Despite entering the quarterfinals with 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, Rivers Hoopers displayed resilience and determination.
On the other hand, US Monastir came into the match with four consecutive wins. However, it was Rivers Hoopers who started strong and dominated the game until late in the opening quarter when US Monastir made a comeback to take a slim one-point advantage.
The first quarter ended with a score of 21-20 in favor of the Tunisians. In the second quarter, Rivers Hoopers intensified their efforts and went on a brilliant scoring run, ending the quarter with a five-point lead at halftime. T
he score stood at 45-40 in favor of the Hoopers. Prior to the quarter-final encounter, Rivers Hoopers and US Monastir had faced each other three times. US Monastir emerged victorious in the inaugural edition of the BAL, while both teams secured one win each during their meetings at this year’s Sahara Conference.
The third quarter highlighted the intense competition between both teams, with Rivers Hoopers narrowly leading their Tunisian opponents 23-22, resulting in a six-point advantage going into the fourth quarter, with the scoreboard showing 68-62 in favor of the KingsMen.
In a nail-biting fourth quarter, US Monastir managed to outscore the Rivers Hoopers by two points, with a final score of 26-24 in favor of the Tunisian team.
Despite the close margin, it was the Hoopers who emerged victorious with a tense 4-point win, securing a final score of 92-88 in favor of the KingsMen.
Will Perry, who showcased an outstanding performance by contributing 33 points, five rebounds, five assists, and four steals, was rightfully named the game’s top performer. Additionally, three Rivers Hoopers players achieved double-doubles, with Kelvin Amayo, Peter Olisemeka, and Devine Eke making significant contributions.
This victory marks a historic moment for the Rivers Hoopers, becoming the first Nigerian team to advance to the semi-finals of Africa’s premier club basketball championship.
Looking ahead, the KingsMen are set to face Libya’s Al Ahly in the upcoming match on Wednesday, May 29th, at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, with a chance to secure a spot in the championship game.
