Rivers Hoopers triumph over APR with a 78-71 victory after a gripping second overtime, securing their place in the 2024 BAL playoffs. This significant victory not only distinguishes them as the first team from the Sahara Conference to advance to the 2024 BAL Playoffs but also marks them as the first Nigerian team to qualify for the BAL playoffs
Today, on May 11, the Rivers Hoopers, Nigeria’s representative in the 2024 Basketball Africa League, clinched a playoff berth by defeating Rwanda’s representative APR in their fifth Sahara Conference game at the Dakar Arena.
Against the odds, the Rivers Hoopers entered the conference as underdogs but triumphed, winning four out of five games, including two impressive victories over the Rwandan Champions, APR Basketball Club.
APR approached this game well-aware of William Perry’s offensive prowess, prompting Mazen Trakh to make a rare alteration to his starting lineup for the first time this season. Nshobozwabyosenumukiza was inserted to bolster the perimeter defense against Rivers Hoopers’ William Perry.
After a strong start by Rwanda’s army side, they faced a setback when their leading scorer, Noel Obadiah, suffered an injury early in the game, sidelining him for the remainder of the match. Despite Obadiah’s absence, Mazen Trakh’s team managed to maintain a narrow lead, concluding the first quarter with a score of 19-16.
However, their challenges continued as APR encountered another injury setback in the second quarter, with Adonis Filer injuring his right Achilles’ tendon. With both Obadiah and Filer off the court, Nshobozwa, Ntore, and Captain Williams stepped up to handle the ball responsibilities.
Mpoyo’s layup extended their lead to 24-21, but Kelvin Amayo’s three-pointer leveled the score at 24-24. A quick succession of three-pointers from Williams and Mpoyo pushed APR to a six-point lead, prompting a timeout from Ogoh Odaudu.
The timeout revitalized the Nigerian team, with Peter Olisemeka’s alley-oop dunk followed by Kelvin Amayo’s three-pointer narrowing the deficit to just one point.
Olisemeka then delivered another stunning dunk, giving the Rivers Hoopers a lead just before halftime, with the score at 31-30.
APR remained focused on their primary objective in the third quarter, which is neutralizing William Perry’s influence on the Rivers Hoopers’ offensive plays. Perry, who had only attempted one shot in the first 27 minutes of the game, found himself effectively contained by APR’s defensive efforts.
With Perry contained, APR seized control of the game and executed their offensive plays with ease. Five minutes into the third quarter, Ntore Habimana sank his first three-pointer of the season after eight unsuccessful attempts. However, the Rivers Hoopers faced further adversity when Devine Eke collected his fourth personal foul two minutes later.
With both Perry and Eke sidelined, the Rivers Hoopers struggled to generate offense, providing an opportune moment for Rwanda’s Army side to extend their lead.
APR capitalized on this opportunity, scoring 20 points in the quarter. Notably, Nshobozwa and Ntore contributed 16 points between them, with each player scoring eight points. As a result, APR entered the final period with a commanding nine-point lead, 50-41.
In the final quarter, the Rivers Hoopers came out with a fierce determination to not only erase the deficit but also win and secure a spot in the playoffs.
Within the first four minutes, they managed to narrow the gap and assert their dominance in the paint against APR. However, the tide turned when William Robeyns fouled out with just 1:41 remaining on the clock.
Despite this setback, Kevine Eke rose to the occasion, sinking a crucial two-point basket to tie the game at 58 and push it into overtime. Throughout this crucial quarter, both Devine Eke and Peter Olisemeka contributionon both ends of the court, highlighting their hunger to secure a playoff berth and etch their names in Nigerian basketball history.
The Nigerian team surged ahead with rapid offensive transitions, swiftly building a six-point lead within the first two minutes, extending it to seven points within three minutes. However, APR mounted a comeback, narrowing the deficit to just two points in the final two minutes of play.
In a remarkable turn of events, they managed to tie the score within a minute, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the game. 65-65
In the decisive second overtime, the Nigerian team dominated, scoring 13 points while only allowing 6 points from their opponents, securing a crucial victory and advancing to the playoffs.
In the second game, US Monastir emerged victorious with a 75-69 win over AS Douanes, securing the second spot in the rankings.
APR and AS Douanes find themselves in the bottom two positions in the rankings. Their upcoming match will be a crucial showdown, as both teams vie for a playoff spot in a do-or-die scenario.
Tomorrow’s games will hold significant weight in determining the second slot in the standings, as well as potentially securing the best third place. US Monastir is set to take on Rivers Hoopers, while APR will clash with AS Douanes.
