By; MOHAMMED ABDULLAHI, Dakar
Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers are still top of the ongoing Basketball Africa League (BAL) season 4 Sahara Conference in Dakar, Senegal despite losing 54 to 56 to AS Douanes in the second round, match day four game.
As it stands after match day four, Rivers Hoopers have recorded three wins, while APR of Rwanda and AS Douanes of Senegal have two each. US Monastir of Tunisia sits at the bottom with a single win, which opens the conference for any of the teams to pick up the two automatic qualifying slots to the BAL playoffs and final in Kigali, Rwanda later in May 2024.
The Nigerian team which won their first three consecutive games succumbed to their first loss in the final seconds of the game when Mike Fofana of AS Douanes nails the buzzer-beater with a two-point winning shot.
Coach Ogoh Odaudu of Rivers Hoopers praised his players for a spirited defensive play, but quickly pointed out the team needed to do more in terms of accurate shooting.
“The game recorded low points because of obvious fatigue and spirited display of defence by both teams. We needed to do more in our shooting as we prepare for the next showdown with APR of Rwanda,” coach Odaudu explained.
Rivers Hoopers will face APR on match day 5 on Sturday 11th May. In the first round of games earlier played, the Nigerian team triumphed over the Rwandese by 4 points, 86 to 82.
