Rivers Hoopers will face Cape Town Tigers of South Africa on Friday, May 31, 2024, in the third-place playoff of the Basketball Africa League.

The South African team suffered a defeat against Petro De Luanda in the second semifinal, while Rivers Hoopers had earlier lost to Al Ahly in the first semifinal, awaiting their opponent for the third-place match.

Rivers Hoopers vs Al Ahly Rundown

In a nerve-wracking matchup at the BK Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, Rivers Hoopers fell short against Al Ahly of Libya, losing 83-89 in the semifinals of the Basketball Africa League on Wednesday, May 29, 2024.

The game started with a nervous showing from both sides, but it was the Libyan outfit who found the mettle, taking the lead in the second quarter and maintaining it until halftime.

Hoopers struggled to match the height advantage posed by their opponent which was evident in defence. However, the Port Harcourt-based side put up a fighting spirit as they displayed impressive rebounding, interceptions, and steals. Al Ahly were smart in their play as they kept on drawing fouls and making points.

The third quarter saw a shift in momentum from the Rivers Hoopers, as they took the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter.

Coach Ogoh’s timeout briefing played a crucial role in the comeback, as David Ike and Peter Olisaemeka limited Dieng and Lual-Acuil’s impact in the paint, allowing the Hoopers to capitalize on the other end of the court.

Devine Eke had a remarkable third quarter, scoring 11 of the Hoopers’ 23 points, which outscored Al Ahly 23-8 in the quarter.

With the game tied at 73 at the end of the fourth, Overtime ensued. Will Perry battled with four fouls while Olisaemeka got fouled out at the start of overtime. Al Ahly took charge as the Hoopers’ momentum dwindled due to fatigue caused by the players’ extended minutes on the court.

The Hoopers also struggled from the free-throw line, managing just nine of twenty. (45%) Regardless, the combination of Perry, Amayo and Eke saw several impressive shots made, As well as a superb link-up between Perry and Ike in the first quarter for the play of the game.

Eke and Amayo currently lead the BAL in playing time, averaging over 37 minutes per game, which spotlights the extensive court time they have had and the contribution to their fatigue in overtime.

Kelvin Amayo put in an impressive performance, leading the Hoopers with 25 points and a career-high 13 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Al Ahly achieved an impressive feat by reaching the final in their debut season.