Basketball Africa League: Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers succumb to second defeat

NIGERIA’S representatives in the Basketball Africa League, Rivers Hoopers of Port Harcourt, suffered their second consecutive defeat in the elite competition on Thursday.

They were battered 99-70 by Union Sportiv Monastir of Tunisia in Kigali, Rwanda.

After losing their first game 83-60 to Parriots of Rwanda on Sunday, the Nigerians were expected to put up more resistance on Thursday, but they fell to an even worse defeat.

The Tunisian team showed their intentions in the first quarter, which they won 24-12.

They continued their dominance in the second quarter and took a 49-22 lead to half-time.

The Hoopers displayed some defiant spirit in the third quarter with a 25-21 score, but the Tunisians were much too strong.
Monastir took the final quarter and eased to a massive 29-point victory.

Despite the defeat, Rivers Hoopers’ Robert Christopher Daniels led in scoring with 25 points, with Radhouane Slimane top-scoring for Monastir with 23 points.

D’Tigers star Benjamin Uzor added 20 points for the Hoopers and contributed a game-high eight assists.

The impressive Daniels also led in rebounds with 11, while another Hoopers player, Victor Koko, had the most blocks with four.
Hoopers next face Gendarmerie National Basketball Club on Sunday in a make-or-break fixture they cannot afford to lose.