The 2021 BAL season was the 1st season for the Rivers Hoopers of the Basketball Africa League. The team began the season on May 16, 2021, in the season opener against Rwanda's Patriots BBC.
| 2021 season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Ogoh Odaudu |
| BAL | Group stage |
Coming off a third Nigerian Premier League, the team of Ogoh Odaudu qualified for the inaugural BAL season. Ahead of the season, the Hoopers signed Ben Uzoh,[1] along with the American duo Chris Daniels and Taren Sullivan.[2] They also signed ex-NBA champion Festus Ezeli.[3] However, Ezeli got injured and had to miss the season. He was later replaced by Robinson Opong.
The Hoopers were allocated in Group A, but were unable to advance to the playoffs with their 1–2 record.
Roster
editTeam
editNote: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.
| Rivers Hoopers roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Updated: May 16, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Additions
edit| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | Moving from | Date | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | PG |  |
Ben Uzoh | Paris |  |
April 15, 2021 | [1] |
| 24 | SF |  |
Taren Sullivan | Erie BayHawks | |
April 16, 2021 | [4] |
| 55 | C | |
Chris Daniels | Alaska Aces |  |
April 16, 2021 | [2] |
| 15 | SG |  |
Robinson Opong | Saskatchewan Rattlers |  |
April 22, 2021 | [5] |
Games
editBAL
editGroup phase
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  US Monastir
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 303 | 211 | +92 | 6 | Advance to playoffs |
| 2 |  Patriots (H)
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 236 | 223 | +13 | 5 | |
| 3 | Rivers Hoopers
|
3 | 1 | 2 | 210 | 251 | −41 | 4 | |
| 4 |  GNBC
|
3 | 0 | 3 | 207 | 271 | −64 | 3 |
| 16 May 2021 1
|
Patriots
|
83–60 | Rivers Hoopers
|
Kigali |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00 GMT | Scoring by quarter: 17–18, 26–16, 22–10, 18–16 | |||
| Pts: Costner 20 Rebs: Ibeh 11 Asts: Gasana 4 |
Boxscore | Pts: Sullivan 15 Rebs: Koko 8 Asts: Uzoh 5 |
Arena: Kigali Arena Attendance: 2,000 |
|
| 20 May 2021 2
|
Rivers Hoopers
|
70–99 | US Monastir
|
Kigali |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15:30 GMT | Scoring by quarter: 12–24, 10–25, 25–21, 23–29 | |||
| Pts: Daniels 25 Rebs: Daniels 11 Asts: Uzoh 8 |
Boxscore | Pts: Slimane 23 Rebs: Ghayaza, Lahyani, Majok 6 Asts: Abada 6 |
Arena: Kigali Arena |
|
| 23 May 2021 3
|
GNBC
|
69–80 | Rivers Hoopers
|
Kigali |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 GMT | Scoring by quarter: 18-18, 22-23, 19-18, 10-21 | |||
| Pts: Mandimbison 19 Rebs: Mandimbison 6 Asts: Razanamahenina 5 |
Pts: Sullivan 19 Rebs: Koko 12 Asts: Uzoh , Daniels , Balogun 3 |
Arena: Kigali Arena |
||
Statistics
edit| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Source:[6]
| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Uzoh | 3 | 3 | 29.1 | 55.9 | 0 | 66.7 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 14.7 |
| Taren Sullivan | 3 | 3 | 26.4 | 41.0 | 26.7 | 77.8 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 14.3 |
| Chris Daniels | 3 | 3 | 23.6 | 60.0 | 44.4 | 80.0 | 8.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 14.0 |
| Benjamin Ikechukwu | 3 | 3 | 23.4 | 25.0 | 23.1 | – | 4.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
| Solomon Ajegbeyi | 3 | 0 | 19.0 | 36.8 | 0 | 75.0 | 5.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 6.7 |
| Victor Koko | 3 | 3 | 20.8 | 27.8 | 0 | 33.3 | 8.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 4.0 |
| Robinson Opong | 3 | 0 | 17.4 | 15.8 | 8.3 | – | 3.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Precious Saliu | 3 | 0 | 9.3 | 16.7 | 22.2 | 33.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Simon Ameh | 3 | 0 | 8.9 | 25.0 | 33.3 | 100 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Onyebuchi Nwaiwu | 3 | 0 | 9.4 | 33.3 | – | – | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Emmanuel Balogun | 3 | 0 | 8.8 | 20.0 | 0 | – | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Victor James Ugo | 1 | 0 | 6.6 | 0 | – | – | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ronald Alalibo | 2 | 0 | 2.3 | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
References
edit- ^ a b "Rivers Hoopers sign D'Tigers star ahead of Basketball Africa League – AllBallerZone". Allballerzone.com. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "B/Ball: Rivers Hoopers Sign American Duo Chris Daniels, Taren Sullivan". The Busy Buddies. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "Festus Ezeli signs with Rivers Hoopers in NBA/FIBA's Basketball Africa League". Sportando.basketball. April 17, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "B/Ball: Rivers Hoopers Sign American Duo Chris Daniels, Taren Sullivan". The Busy Buddies. 16 April 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "Ugandan International Robinson Opong Joins Rivers Hoopers". Channels Television. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
- ^ "Rivers Hoopers Stats - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved 27 December 2021.