Reigning Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Champions, Rivers Hoopers would be looking to make it 3-of-3 when they face Police Batons today, by 12:30 in game three of the ongoing NPBL Atlantic Conference at the indoor basketball hall of the Samuel Ogbemudia Sports Complex, Benin, Edo State.

The Port-Harcourt-based side got off to a flying start in the 2024 NPBL season, with an 87-39 win over south-south rivals Delta Force and made sure to continue in that light when they faced Oluyole Warriors in the second game of the conference on Monday, October 28, 2024, in Benin, grabbing a 77-45 victory.

The Hoopers’ day three opponents, Police Batons have lost one and won one in the conference so far. They began their 2024 NPBL season campaign with a 49-44 loss to Kwara Falcons but ensured they got back to winning ways against Delta Force, winning 56-49.

Ahead of the game against Police Batons, Coach of Rivers Hoopers, Ogoh Odaudu said he expects an aggressive display from the Police Batons team but says he has a specific plan.

“Every game against Police Batons is always aggressive. We won’t rest on our oars until the final buzzer. We won’t underrate them. Police can surprise you. We would have a specific game plan against Police Batons.”

On player management, coach Odaudu said he gets to rest and rotate his players well enough.

” We are getting enough practice, and the games are not stressful right now at this stage. We are getting players to rest a lot, so we are rotating the 12 players on the bench, which is good for us, and the opposition is not too tough, so we have been getting enough practice.”

Odaudu added: ” We are taking it as our daily practice sessions. I know it will get tougher, but we are content with what we have, and we are hoping we get better at every game.”

The King’s Men who are five-time Nigerian champions intend to defend their title for a sixth NPBL title and represent the county in the Basketball Africa League for the third time.