Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu says “too many things went wrong” as he reflected on his team’s painful 104-73 quarter-final loss to Rwanda’s APR on Monday in the Basketball Africa League (BAL).
The KingsMen, who had hopes of matching or bettering last season’s semi-final finish, were outclassed at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria. APR raced to a dominant 24-11 first-quarter lead and never looked back, handing Rivers Hoopers their heaviest defeat in BAL history.
Speaking after the match, Odaudu admitted his side had a poor outing, particularly on the defensive end.
“We didn’t defend the way we should have. The 52 points we allowed in the paint killed us,” he said. “Too many things went wrong. We didn’t play as well as we thought we could, and it happens in basketball. We’re not angry, just disappointed.”
Despite a bright performance from Madut Akec — who finished with 19 points, four assists and two rebounds — and a short-lived second-quarter fightback led by Raphiael Putney’s three straight three-pointers, the KingsMen couldn’t match APR’s energy and execution.
Odaudu praised APR’s sharpness, pointing to the difference in match readiness between both teams. While APR are still active in their domestic league, Rivers Hoopers hadn’t played competitively since finishing second in the Sahara Conference in Rabat, Morocco.
“We’ve been idle for weeks. APR and even US Monastir [who we played earlier] are coming straight from their leagues. Meanwhile, we’ve had to wait without games. It’s a big disadvantage,” he explained.
The 2024 BAL Coach of the Year also used the moment to call for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s basketball structure.
“We can’t keep showing up at the BAL out of shape and expect to compete. If we want to truly grow, the Nigeria Basketball Federation needs to ensure we have a working league. We need games, not just camps and friendlies,” he added.
Despite the heavy loss, Odaudu remains proud of his team’s journey and achievements so far. Rivers Hoopers finished with a 4-2 record in the Sahara Conference and qualified for the playoffs as runners-up.
“Nobody gave us a chance in Morocco, but we surprised many. We’ve grown. We’re still Rivers Hoopers, and we’ll be back,” he said.
Odaudu also acknowledged the support from the Rivers State government, saying it has been better than what many other teams receive.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve had so far. It means a lot and gives us something to build on.”
Rivers Hoopers now return home to regroup, with eyes set on bouncing back stronger for next season’s campaign in Africa’s top basketball competition.
