Rivers Hoopers continued their perfect run in the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL), improving to a 10-0 mark with a 90-62 victory over Nile University Spartans in their last Group B game on Saturday.
It was a game that decided the group winner after both had qualified to the semis with two wins each.
In three consecutive games, Kelvin Amayo was once again instrumental to Hoopers’ victory, scoring 21 points and 5 steals, including 3 three-pointers.
Top performer in game, Ifeanyi Koko, scored 13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
Michael Daramola added 12 points and added 2/3 from behind the arc.
Amayo shot 18 points in the first half with 5 steals to go with it, leading Hoopers to a 49-32 lead going to the break. He dropped a deep three-pointer at the start of the third quarter, but Hoopers, who struggled on the offensive end later found their rhythm to outscore the Spartans 21-7 to lead 70-39 going to the fourth.
Despite the late fight from the Nile University Spartans, it was rather late, and there was little or nothing they could have done to turn the game around.
”We are going to make sure that we are at our best ahead of the semi-final game. We have played them, but they are a different team with an entirely new team, but they are no strangers to us.”
The KingsMen will play Gboko City Chiefs in the semis on Sunday at 5 p.m., while Nile University Spartans will face Hoops and Read at 3pm.
