Nigerian Champions Rivers Hoopers became the first Nigerian team to qualify for the Basketball Africa League playoffs scheduled to take place later this month in Kigali after a 78-71 double-overtime victory over APR during the weekend in Dakar, Senegal.
For a second consecutive game, Peter Olisemeka put up a huge performance, finishing with a double-double 17 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks to steer Nigerian club to victory.
Devine Eke also had an immense contribution, adding 18 points and 18 rebounds with four assists and two steals in 43 minutes, while John Wilkins had 14, Kelvin Amayo added 13, and Will Perry’s 11, as all starters for Rivers Hoopers finished with double digits.
Hoopers and APR both entered the game seeking to bounce back after suffering defeats against AS Douanes and US Monastir, respectively, in their previous games.
For APR, they needed to win to boost their chances of reaching the playoff round in their inaugural BAL season, while Rivers Hoopers knew that a win would guarantee them a spot at the BAL high table in Kigali, Rwanda.
With the teams fully aware of the importance of a win for their respective BAL campaigns, both sets of players started the game vibrantly, contesting for every ball and playing good defense in the opening minutes of the encounter.
Noel Obadiah made the first basket of the game, but John Wilkins responded immediately with a 3-point shot for Rivers Hoopers as the game went back and forth, with the lead exchanging hands a number of times.
However, the biggest highlight of the first quarter, which ended 19-16 in favour of APR, was a forced substitution for Noel Obadiah, who exited the game after just four minutes with a knee problem.
APR had to play without Obadiah Noel, who limped off the court four minutes into the game, and Adonis Filer, who was wheeled off the court at the start of the third quarter.
Hoopers attacked from the start of the second quarter, making good baskets from deep and inside the perimeter to take a one-point lead into halftime, as the scores stood at 31-30 at the end of the second quarter.
The game continued in the same manner; however, a poor scoring run by Rivers Hoopers in the final five minutes of the third quarter saw APR open up a huge 9-point advantage as the KingsMen went into the fourth quarter trailing APR 50-41.
Determined to avoid a second straight defeat, the Nigerian champions showed their intent in the fourth quarter and erased the deficit to tie the game at 52-52 within four minutes of the fourth quarter.
The two sides both traded baskets for most part of the game, but it was Eke’s put-back with seven minutes left that sent the game to the first overtime (58-58).
With the Hoopers leading 73-71 inside the final 30 seconds, Peter Olisemeka made a decisive block on Axel Mpoyo at the basket to deny APR a huge opportunity to tie the game and possibly force a third overtime.
Two free throws made by Will Perry and a buzzer-beating 3-point attempt by Kelvin Amayo were the final shots of the game and enough to send the KingsMen into their first ever BAL playoffs with a 78-71 victory over APR.
Despite the victory, the KingsMen will want to forget their poor shooting in the game.They shot 13/28 from the line and made 9/42 from the deep, but they outrebounded the Rwandans 62-49.
While the KingsMen qualified with four wins, the Rwandan champions dropped to 2-3 mark ahead of the last day of the Sahara Conference on Sunday.
Hoopers will play their last game of the Sahara Conference against US Monstir while APR face hosts AS Douanes on Sunday.
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