Basketball: Rivers Hoopers Hold Off Late Batons Surge To Claim 74-62 Victory

Four-time champions of the Nigeria Premier League, Rivers Hoopers saw off a late surge to defeat Police Batons 74-62 in their first game of the 2023 NBBF Premier League in Asaba on Tuesday. Mustapha Oyebanji led other Hoopers with 22 points including six 3-pointers, Johnson Anaiye contributed 12 points while Victor Anthony Koko and Victor Mohammed added 10 points apiece for Hoopers. Chris Wilson shot back to back buckets and a buzzer beater as the Port Harcourt based team held a 12-point lead at halftime 38-26. Hoopers struggled on the offense in the third quarter and could only manage 8 points and were outscored 8-16. Police Batons cut down the deficit to one with eight minutes left to play (48-47) in the game. Oyebanji buried a clutch three-pointer to make it a 10 point game 61-51 with just 3 minutes remaining and Hoopers ensured they ran away with the win. Hoopers guard Johnson Anaiye said they could have executed the game better but was happy they ran away with the victory. ”The game was great even though it was scrappy at the beginning but in the end it was great. We were rushing the game and it was a game we should have taken our time to execute every offense one after the other, but we rushed it and wanted to end it quickly.  I feel that is what affected us in the game.” The KingsMen play Lagos Legends in their second game on Wednesday, but Anaiye is confident they will emerge victorious. ”The first game of a tournament is always scrappy but I believe we will pick up in the next game and put in our best and follow all we have been taught. At the end of the day we will be victorious,” said Anaiye.

AfroBasket: D’Tigress bounce off Mozambique, advance to semi-finals

Nigeria’s D’Tigress on Wednesday in Kigali, Rwanda extended their winning streak in Africa to 22 straight wins by over-running Mozambique 59-52 to advance to the 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket semi-finals. The hard-earned win means the Nigerian senior women’s national basketball team will now meet hosts Rwanda in Thursday’s semifinal. Mozambique led at the break, after 18-16 and 15-13 wins in the first and second quarters, but Nigeria overcame their lethargy to eventually turn the tables around. They outscored Mozambique 18-10 in the third quarter to set the tone for claiming the win, before a close 12-9 win in the fourth and final quarter. With Nigeria trailing by four points at half-time, they had to rally and find a way to get back into the game. When the opportunity occurred, Elizabeth Balogun seized the moment to help Nigeria tie the contest at 40-40. Amy Okonkwo then gave the reigning champions a short but solid advantage, before Ifunaya Okoro scored from behind the arc to give Nigeria the lead definitely. Mozambique tried to fight back, but they met a resilient and combative Nigeria. Okonkwo chipped in 17 points, Balogun contributed 12 points, and Sarah Ogoke finished just one point shy from a double-digit. Nearly every Nigerian ended the game with at least two points to their credit. However, what saved Nigeria was the depth of their bench, which produced 22 of the 59 points Nigeria needed to see off Mozambique. Nigeria also made the difference on free throws ratio, having 14 for 18 free throws which gave them the edge over Mozambique who had 16 from 24 attempts. The D’Tigresses also out-rebounded Mozambique 51-43, by being more active on the defensive side with 38 boards. But ironically, the game’s best rebounder was Mozambique’s Tamara Seda. With this win, Nigeria have also sent a message to hosts Rwanda that they will be tough nuts to crack, ready and focused on getting a fourth title in a row. Speaking after the game, Nigeria guard Sarah Ogoke said while their opponents were good her team was better and deserved their win. “Mozambique are a great team, and credit to them for putting up such a game. But we stayed together and we made it through,” she said. Looking ahead to their semi-final fixture, Obote said: “We’re going to be playing against the stadium, against the fans, against the entire country. “So it’s going to be very difficult. We will try to get us to Saturday’s final and to the 2024 Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT). “We definitely have what it takes to make it four titles in a row and we have a way of making things happen. And we’ll find a way.”

FIBA Afrobasket: Nigeria’s D’Tigress maul Egypt, berth quarter-final

The Nigerian senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, demonstrated their prowess once again in the ongoing 2023 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket tournament, securing a convincing victory against Egypt and booking their spot in the quarterfinals. On a Sunday showdown at the BK Arena, D’Tigress unleashed their determination to clinch an unprecedented fourth consecutive continental title. They proved their mettle by outplaying Egypt with a resounding 83-65 triumph, ensuring their early qualification to the last eight stage of the tournament. The match witnessed D’Tigress taking control from the outset, gaining an 18-10 lead in the first quarter and extending it further in the second quarter, finishing with a commanding 24-13 advantage. However, the third quarter saw Egypt make a valiant effort to narrow the gap, securing a 19-14 win in that period. As the tension escalated in the fourth quarter, the North Africans fought desperately to regain ground. Yet, D’Tigress exhibited unwavering determination, maintaining their composure and sealing the game with a strong finish. The final quarter ended with a score of 27-23 in favor of D’Tigress, sealing their comprehensive victory at 83-65. The standout performance came from Amy Okonkwo, who led the scoring with an impressive 29 points and 13 rebounds, steering D’Tigress to their well-deserved triumph and securing their spot in the quarterfinals. Murjanatu Musa also shone brightly with her valuable 18-point contribution, while Nicole Enabosi added 10 points to her name, registering double figures. This win marks Nigeria’s third consecutive victory over Egypt, following their previous triumphs in 2015 and 2017. The Nigerian team’s dominant performance has undoubtedly solidified their reputation as a formidable force in women’s basketball in Africa. With Nigeria safely advancing to the quarterfinals, Egypt and DR Congo will now face a challenging qualifying round to determine if they can join Nigeria in the next stage or head back home.