2024 Rivers Hoopers season

The 2024 Rivers Hoopers season is the 19th season in club history and the second season of the team in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). The Hoopers will play in the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) once again as defending champions.

Rivers Hoopers
2024 season
Head coachOgoh Odaudu
NPLTo be played
BALThird Place
← 2021 (BAL)
2023
2025 →

The Hoopers enforced their team with American guard Will Perry,[1] as well as with Devine Eke.[2] Eke and Perry were named to the All-BAL Second Team after the conclusion of the season.[3] They were allocated in the Sahara Conference, and surprisingly won the conference and sealed their first ever playoff spot.[4] In the quarterfinals, they defeated US Monastir, and in the semi-finals they lost to Al Ahly Ly in overtime.[5] The Hoopers defeated South Africa's Cape Town Tigers to clinch the third place, becoming the first Nigerian team in the BAL to finish with a medal.[6]

Roster

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BAL roster

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The final roster was revealed by the BAL on 4 May 2024.[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

2024 Rivers Hoopers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Age
CG 2   Offia, Abel 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 19 – (2005-02-14)14 February 2005
SF 4   Daramola, Michael 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 22 – (2002-10-20)20 October 2002
PG 5   Anaiye, Johnson 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) 26 – (1997-11-06)6 November 1997
F 6   Ike, David (E) 2.10 m (6 ft 11 in) 17 – (2007-07-16)16 July 2007
SF 7   Nwaiwu, Onyebuchi 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 26 – (1998-08-20)20 August 1998
G 10   Oyebanji, Mustapha 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 23 – (2001-04-20)20 April 2001
PG 12   Perry, Will (I) 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 31 – (1993-10-11)11 October 1993
G 13   Amayo, Kelvin 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 32 – (1992-01-09)9 January 1992
C 14   Olisemeka, Peter 2.04 m (6 ft 8 in) 32 – (1991-12-09)9 December 1991
PF 15   Koko, Victor Anthony (C) 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 31 – (1992-12-14)14 December 1992
SF 23   Eke, Devine 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 28 – (1996-07-29)29 July 1996
PF 34   Wilkins, John (I) 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 35 – (1989-07-13)13 July 1989
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import player
  • (E): BAL Elevate player
  •   Injured

Updated: 4 May 2024

Games

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Sahara Conference

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Pos Team Pld W L GF GA GD PCT Qualification
1   Rivers Hoopers 6 4 2 441 413 +28 .667 Advance to playoffs
2   AS Douanes 6 3 3 409 385 +24 .500[a]
3   US Monastir 6 3 3 437 450 −13 .500[a]
4   APR 6 2 4 432 471 −39 .333
Source: BAL
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head: AS Douanes 1–1 US Monastir, AS Douanes won on aggregrate point difference (+1).
May 4, 2024 AS Douanes   68–77   Rivers Hoopers Dakar Arena, Dakar
5:30 PM Scoring by quarter: 23–18, 16–19, 9–19, 20–21
Pts: Akec 19
Rebs: Obekpa 14
Asts: Boissy 4
Livestats Pts: Eke 31
Rebs: Eke 12
Asts: Amayo 8
Attendance: 8,543
Referees: Tyler Mirkovich, Aboolo Amr, Hassan Kamate
May 5, 2024 APR   82–86   Rivers Hoopers Dakar Arena, Dakar
2:30 PM Scoring by quarter: 18–19, 22–21, 22–23, 20–23
Pts: Noel 32
Rebs: Noel 7
Asts: Filer, Robeyns 4
Livestats Pts: Perry 31
Rebs: Eke, Ike 8
Asts: Amayo 7
Attendance: 734
Referees: Kaitlynn Versoza, Kalume Tonton Banza, Adlen Larouci
May 7, 2024 US Monastir   63–84   Rivers Hoopers Dakar Arena, Dakar
4:00 PM Scoring by quarter: 13–24, 16–25, 22–18, 12–17
Pts: Doucouré 21
Rebs: Crawford 7
Asts: Crawford 14
Livestats Pts: Amayo 30
Rebs: Eke 12
Asts: Amayo, Perry 9
Attendance: 973
Referees: Tyler Mirkovich, Kalume Tonton Banza, Hassan Kamate
May 9, 2024 Rivers Hoopers   54–56   AS Douanes Dakar Arena, Dakar
7:00 PM Scoring by quarter: 5–14, 21–19, 15–7, 13–16
Pts: Perry 17
Rebs: Olisemeka 18
Asts: Perry 5
Livestats Pts: Akec 17
Rebs: Thomas 9
Asts: Boissy 4
Attendance: 6,876
Referees: Cameron Gelinas, Yann Vezo Davidson, Natascha Onono
May 11, 2024 Rivers Hoopers   78–7102OT   APR Dakar Arena, Dakar
2:30 PM Scoring by quarter: 16–19, 15–11, 10–20, 17–8, Overtime: 17–8, 20–3
Pts: Eke 18
Rebs: Eke 20
Asts: Perry 6
Livestats Pts: Nshobozwabyosenumukiza 16
Rebs: Hunt 14
Asts: Hunt 7
Attendance: 750
Referees: Cameron Gelinas, Aboolo Amr, Kalume Tonton Banza
May 12, 2024 Rivers Hoopers   62–73   US Monastir Dakar Arena, Dakar
2:30 PM Scoring by quarter: 13–19, 20–19, 9–18, 20–17
Pts: Eke 13
Rebs: Olisemeka 10
Asts: Amayo 7
Livestats Pts: Crawford 21
Rebs: Majok 16
Asts: Crawford 9
Attendance: 2,604
Referees: Kenny Jones, Kalume Tonton Banza, Walelign Fikadu Gebeto

Playoffs

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Seeding game (3rd–4th seed)
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25 May 2024 Rivers Hoopers   57–63   AS Douanes BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda
5:30 PM Scoring by quarter: 9–22, 14–15, 5–13, 29–13
Pts: Ike 11
Rebs: Olisemeka 13
Asts: Amayo 7
Livestats Pts: Harouna 16
Rebs: Akec, Fofana 7
Asts: Akec 4
Attendance: 5,992
Referees: Hortensia Sanchez-Carrizales, Wael Ibrahim Mostafa, Amir Taboubi
Quarterfinal
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27 May 2024 Rivers Hoopers   92–88   US Monastir BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda
5:00 PM Scoring by quarter: 20–21, 25–19, 23–22, 24–26
Pts: Perry 33
Rebs: Eke 12
Asts: Amayo 11
Livestats Pts: Crawford 31
Rebs: Majok 7
Asts: Crawford 10
Attendance: 3,032
Referees: Chelisa Painter, Wael Ibrahim Mostafa, Aboolo Amr
Semifinal
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29 May 2024 Rivers Hoopers   83–890OT   Al Ahly Ly BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda
5:00 PM Scoring by quarter: 21–27, 16–21, 23–8, 13–70, Overtime: 10–16
Pts: Amayo 26
Rebs: Amayo 15
Asts: Amayo 6
Livestats Pts: Lual-Acuil 27
Rebs: Deng 13
Asts: Golden 5
Attendance: 4,037
Referees: Chelisa Painter, Yann Vezo Davidson, Mbaye Seye
Third-place game
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31 May 2024 Rivers Hoopers   80–57   Cape Town Tigers BK Arena, Kigali, Rwanda
8:00 PM Scoring by quarter: 25–8, 18–21, 20–9, 17–19
Pts: Amayo 25
Rebs: Koko 11
Asts: Perry 8
Livestats Pts: Deing 17
Rebs: Sibanyoni 15
Asts: Manyang, Whitbread 2
Attendance: 4,379
Referees: Julian Scott, Wael Ibrahim Mostafa, Kalume Tonton Banza

Player statistics

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Legend
  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
Rivers Hoopers statistics
Player GP MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
John Wilkins 10 26.0 .250 .232 .429 3.0 0.7 0.8 0.4 6.4
Will Perry 9 35.2 .443 .375 .919 4.2 5.4 2.3 0.1 17.2
Mustapha Oyebanji 9 8.0 .207 .231 .500 0.6 0.1 0.2 0.0 2.2
Peter Olisemeka 9 31.3 .536 .000 .516 12.2 2.1 2.0 1.2 10.0
Buchi Nwaiwu 7 5.9 .125 .000 .750 2.0 0.4 0.1 0.4 0.7
Victor Mohammed 2 3.7 .200 .000 .000 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
Victor Koko 10 8.7 .444 .000 .571 3.2 0.3 0.1 0.8 2.0
David Ike 10 14.7 .444 .500 .250 4.1 0.5 0.4 0.8 4.5
Devine Eke 10 36.1 .444 .182 .531 10.8 2.6 1.8 0.3 16.6
Michael Daramola 2 3.4 .000 .000 .500 0.5 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5
Offia Abel Chidiebere 7 5.7 .263 .100 1.000 1.0 0.4 0.6 0.0 2.0
Johnson Anaiye 9 9.3 .176 .125 .500 1.6 1.4 1.1 0.0 1.2
Kelvin Amayo 10 37.0 .343 .227 .391 5.3 6.7 2.2 0.5 16.0

References

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  1. ^ Sikubwabo, Damas (24 February 2024). "Patriots star Perry joins Rivers Hoopers ahead of BAL 2024". The New Times. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ "D'Tigers Forward, Devine Eke, Joins Rivers Hoopers For BAL". leadership.ng. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  3. ^ Mabunda, Sindiswa (6 June 2024). "Eke banks on Hoopers' BAL run to lift image of Nigerian basketball". The Big Tip Off. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Rivers Hoopers clinch playoffs spot in first BAL double-overtime game". The BAL. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Al Ahly Ly are one win away from the 2024 BAL title". The BAL. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Rivers Hoopers finish third at 2024 BAL". The BAL. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Rivers Hoopers (NIGERIA)". The BAL. Retrieved 6 May 2024.