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Tag Rivers Hoopers

  • Feb, Tue, 2020
Sport

Rivers Hoopers sign on American basketball player for BAL campaign

Player
By Omuboye Sukubo
Port Harcourt, Feb. 25, 2020 (NAN) Rivers Hoopers male basketball club of Port Harcourt on Tuesday said they have signed on an American, Kaylon Tappin, to boost their chances in the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Rivers Hoopers are Nigeria’s representatives in the maiden edition of BAL, billed to get underway in March.

Queen Moseph, the club’s Media Officer, in a statement disclosed that Tappin was a junior college standout at Arkansas State-Mid South in West Memphis, Arkadelphia in the 2014/2015 season.

She said the player also had an outstanding year with Henderson State, a NCAA Division 2 school.

“In his senior season, Tappin was named First Team All-Great American Conference after averaging 18.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.4 APG and 1.5 SPG and had a career high 34 points against Arkansas Tech.

“Since turning pro in 2018, Tappin has played for Nift Al-Janoub in the Iraqi IBL League where he averaged 24.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 4.7 APG.

“The 6’11” point guard also played for Piratas de Quebradillas in Peurto Rico and most recently Svendborg Rabbits in the Danish Basketball League,” the statement said.

The club said the 23-year-old was one of the four foreign professionals the team was hopeful of adding to its roster for the BAL.(NAN)
OAS/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

NBBF President’s Cup: Hoopers stay perfect to end first phase, as Falcons maintain 100% start

Basketball
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Oct. 25, 2019 (NAN) Rivers Hoopers won the last of their Group A matches on Friday in the first phase of the inaugural Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President’s Cup for a 100 percent record.

This was after they beat the Nigerian Army team 93-54, for their fifth win from five matches .

Ikechukwu Benjamin led all scorers with 18 points, three rebounds and five assists, followed by Abdul Yahya with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Precious Osigbodi also shot four of eight from his attempted three points to have 13 points and two rebounds.

Anthony Thomas recorded 100 percent from free throws to score 16 points for the Nigerian Army who trailed at half time by 13 points (30-43).

The “Kings’ men’’ therefore finished in top spot in Group A to earn a top seed draw ahead of the next phase.

As for Kwara Falcons, they laboured to a 68-61 victory against hard-fighting Ekiti Invaders in a match which both sides committed 35 turnovers all together.

Mustapha Oyebanji once again lit up the arena with another 24 points, joined by Ikenna Ikpaluba who notched a double-double of 14 points and 19 rebounds.

Four Invaders’ players contributed double digits as well, from which two of them had a double-double.

Stephen Michael eased up with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Brown Adewale added 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The duo of Chimelie Luke (10 points, 6 rebounds) and Ikhalo Daniel (10 points, 7 rebounds) scored 20 points in a game that had four lead changes.

Falcons have now automatically clinched top spot in Group B with a match to go while Invaders ended the campaign with just one win from five games.(NAN)
OOH/OLAL
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(Edited by Olawale Alabi)

Sport

Hoopers end Islanders’ winning streak to maintain top position

Basketball
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Oct. 24, 2019 (NAN) Victor Anthony and Solomon Ajegbeyi recorded double figures to help Rivers Hoopers to maintain their winning streak while ending Lagos Islanders run in a game that finished 66-56.

Before the match day four contest at the ongoing NBBF President’s Cup competition in Ilorin, both teams had won their previous three games.

It was now a case of the top two sides in Group A going head-to-head in the game played at the indoor sports hall of the Kwara Sports Complex.

Hoopers won the opening two quarters (15-11 14-11) to have a seven-point lead at the break 29-22 in a game which has eight lead changes.

Ifeanyi Ebuka who led all scorers with 21 points and 4 rebounds was Islanders’ brightest spark, while Tolani Buhari added 8 points and 7 assists in the process.

Rivers Hoopers’ duo of Victor Anthony and Solomon Ajegbeyi finished with 18 points 17 rebounds 5 assists and 11 points and 14 rebounds respectively, while Abdul Yahaya contributed 10 points.

The win has put the Hoopers at the top of the standings in Group A, even as they still have one more game to play on Friday.

For the Islanders, defeat has ensured they remained second going into match day five.(NAN)
OOH/GOM/OLAL
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(Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam and Olawale Alabi)