• Rivers Hoopers are the first Nigerian team to reach the last four

• Kingsmen finished top of the Savanah Conference to reach the playoffs

• It was the first meeting between the two sides in the BAL

Hopes of Rivers Hoopers’ extending their historic run to the BAL final was truncated when they lost 83-89 in overtime to Al Ahly Ly at the BK Arena, on Wednesday.

The sides were tied 73-73 with just 16.5 seconds on the clock in the 4th quarter, and Rivers Hoopers had possession, but couldn’t seize the moment.

Al Ahly Ly got the motivation and started blazing in OT building a lead that was later cut to just possessions, but they stayed positive and eventually saw the game out to reach the final on their debut.

In the classification game, Kingsmen will play the losing semifinalist from the game between Cape Town Tigers and Clube Atlético Petroleos de Luanda.