2 hours ago
35
Rivers Hoopers kicked off their campaign in the Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final Eight in style, crushing Gombe Bulls 87-56 on Thursday in Port Harcourt.
The KingsMen maintained their perfect record this season, leading from start to finish and never giving Gombe Bulls a chance.
Kelvin Amayo paced the team with 18 points, while Patrick Abah added 16, Ifeanyi Koko chipped in 11, and Abel Offia contributed 10.
Amayo also tallied five assists and steals, while Abah narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds and three assists.
The Hoopers jumped to an early 9-6 lead and stretched it to 11 points by halftime (40-29).
Gombe Bulls struggled to keep up, eventually succumbing to the relentless pressure from the KingsMen.
Former league champion Celestine Nwafor was the lone bright spot for Gombe Bulls, scoring 10 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.
Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it.
Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you.
Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation.
Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories —no paywalls, just quality journalism.
Rivers Hoopers dominated the boards, defeaetd Gombe 59-39, and forced 29 turnovers. They also connected on eight three-pointers.
“Scrappy game”
Despite the convincing win, head coach Ogoh Odaudu expected more from his team. “It was a scrappy game, but this is the essence of the group stage – you get better as the tournament progresses.”
Kelvin Amayo, who rejoined the KingsMen for the Final Eight, expressed gratitude to the management and coach. “I appreciate the fans coming out to support us. We’ll get better as the game progresses.”
Rivers Hoopers will face Kwara Falcons next on Friday at 6 p.m.
READ ALSO: Benin vs Nigeria Player Ratings: Eagles seek balance, Osimhen remains pivotal
Result of other games
Gboko City Chiefs 82-50 Police Batons
Nile University 62-45 Kwara Falcons
Hoops and Read 73-66 Kano Pillars
Friday’s Fixtures
Gombe Bulls v Nile University
Police Batons v Hoops and Read
Gboko City Chiefs v Kano Pillars
Kwara Falcons v Rivers Hoopers
Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibility
At Premium Times, we firmly believe in the importance of high-quality journalism. Recognizing that not everyone can afford costly news subscriptions, we are dedicated to delivering meticulously researched, fact-checked news that remains freely accessible to all.
Whether you turn to Premium Times for daily updates, in-depth investigations into pressing national issues, or entertaining trending stories, we value your readership.
It’s essential to acknowledge that news production incurs expenses, and we take pride in never placing our stories behind a prohibitive paywall.
Would you consider supporting us with a modest contribution on a monthly basis to help maintain our commitment to free, accessible news?
TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999
English (US) ·