Rivers Hoopers fell short in the semi-final against Al Ahly Ly
The Nigerian Champions are aiming to finish on the podium
No Nigerian club has ever reached the playoffs at The BAL
Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Al Ahly Ly in the semi-final of the Basketball African League, losing with a final score of 89-83 in overtime.
The game began with Al Ahly taking an early lead, courtesy of Kelvin Murphy’s free throws.
However, Hoopers swiftly responded with Kelvin Amayo’s shooting from the distance to keep the Nigerian team in contention.
Throughout the game, both teams traded blows, with Lual Acuil and Will Perry showcasing remarkable performances.
Despite Hoopers’ efforts to close the gap after trailing by nine points at one stage, they ended the first quarter six points behind, with a score of 21-15.
The second quarter saw intense action, with fouls and rebounds playing a significant role.
Al Ahly managed to extend their lead to 11 points by halftime, with a score of 48-37.
The Hoopers came out strong in the second half, led by Devine Eke and Captain Anthony Koko. Amayo continued to display his offensive prowess, but missed opportunities, including free throws, allowed Al Ahly to stage a comeback.
A late surge from the Hoopers in the third quarter, fueled by Eke and Amayo, gave them a narrow four-point lead going into the final period, with a score of 62-58.
However, Al Ahly refused to concede defeat, making several successful attempts to level the score.
A crucial three-pointer from Lual Acuil forced the game into overtime, where the Hoopers faltered, ultimately succumbing to a 13-8 loss in the extra period.
Following their narrow defeat in the BAL semi-finals, Rivers Hoopers will now face Cape Town Tigers in third-place matchup.
