2024 Rivers Hoopers season

Rivers Hoopers
2024 season
Head coach	Ogoh Odaudu
NPL	To be played
BAL	Third Place
	← 2021 (BAL); 2023 2025 →

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.

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

BAL roster

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.	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)	21 – (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)	25 – (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)	30 – (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

Ogoh Odaudu

Assistant coach(es)

Abdulrahman Mohammed

Legend

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

Roster

Updated: 4 May 2024

Games

BAL

Sahara Conference

Pos	Team v t e	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:

^ ^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

Seeding game (3rd–4th seed)

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

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

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

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

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

BAL

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

^ Sikubwabo, Damas (24 February 2024). "Patriots star Perry joins Rivers Hoopers ahead of BAL 2024". The New Times. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
^ "D'Tigers Forward, Devine Eke, Joins Rivers Hoopers For BAL". leadership.ng. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
^ 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.
^ "Rivers Hoopers clinch playoffs spot in first BAL double-overtime game". The BAL. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
^ "Al Ahly Ly are one win away from the 2024 BAL title". The BAL. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
^ "Rivers Hoopers finish third at 2024 BAL". The BAL. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
^ "Rivers Hoopers (NIGERIA)". The BAL. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

[table_hth_ASD0.27276807617059-8] Head-to-head: AS Douanes 1–1 US Monastir, AS Douanes won on aggregrate point difference (+1).

[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.

[:0-4] "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.

[:72-6] "Rivers Hoopers finish third at 2024 BAL". The BAL. Retrieved 6 June 2024.

[7] "Rivers Hoopers (NIGERIA)". The BAL. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

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[7]

[a]

v t e 2024 BAL season
Qualification Playoffs Final Rosters
Kalahari Conference	Cape Town Tigers Dynamo FUS Rabat Petro de Luanda
Nile Conference	Al Ahly Al Ahly Benghazi Bangui Sporting Club City Oilers
Sahara Conference	APR AS Douanes US Monastir Rivers Hoopers