Rivers Hoopers
Rivers Hoopers logo
NicknameThe KingsMen
ConferenceAtlantic
LeaguesNigerian Premier League
Founded2005
HistoryRoyal Hoopers
(2005–2016)
Rivers Hoopers
(2016–present)
ArenaRivers State Basketball Complex
Capacity2,000
LocationPort Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Team colorsBlue, White, Orange
     
General managerIfie Ozaka
Head coachOgoh Odaudu
Team captainVictor Anthony Koko
OwnershipGovernment of Rivers State
Championships5 (2011, 2012, 2019, 2021, 2023)
Websiterivershoopers.com

Rivers Hoopers is a Nigerian basketball team based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The team plays in the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) and currently in the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Established in 2005 as Royal Hoopers,[1] the team began to play in the NPL in 2019 and changed to their current name after the management of the team was taken over by the Government of Rivers State. The Hoopers have played in the Premier League since its inception and won the national championship five times, with titles in 2011, 2012, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

At the continental level, Rivers Hoopers has played in the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup three times, and has played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) twice, in the 2021 and 2024 seasons.

History

The club was established in 2005 as Royal Hoopers, with former Nigeria national team player Ogoh Odaudu at the reins as head coach. In the club's first four years, they organised annual "classics" tournaments. The Hoopers entered the Nigerian Premier League (NPL) in 2009.[2]

The Hoopers won their first NPL championship in 2011. They repeated as champions in 2012, behind star player Azuoma Dike who was named the league's MVP.[3]

Following one year in the Division One that was followed by a promotion back to the NPL, management of the team was taken over by the Government of Rivers State in March 2016, and subsequently the team name was changed to Rivers Hoopers.[2]

In December 2018, Hoopers played in the FIBA Africa Zone 3 Championship and won all five games to emerge as its Champions and went on to play in the 2019 Africa Basketball League in March. On 17 November 2019, the Hoopers won its third Nigerian title when it beat Raptors in the final. With this achievement, the team qualified directly for the inaugural season of Basketball Africa League (BAL).[4]

To strengthen the team for the inaugural BAL season, the Hoopers acquired former NBA-players Ben Uzoh and Festus Ezeli.[5] Ezeli, however, got injured before the season and did not join. Hoopers finished third in Group A of the BAL, beating only GNBC from Madagascar. Uzoh led the team in scoring with 14.7 points.[6]

In the 2021 season, the Hoopers won the Premier League for a fourth time after edging Gombe Bulls in the final.[7] Anaiye Johnson was named the league's MVP and Victor Anthony Koko was named final MVP. However, the Hoopers were denied to play in the BAL by FIBA Africa, because the league was organised by the Nigerian Ministry of Youth and Sports instead of the official administrator Nigeria Basketball Federation.[8]

The KingsMen won the Crown Elite Championship in 2022 and won the second edition of the Louis Edem Invitational Basketball Championship on 2 September 2023 in Lagos after beating Spintex Knights of Ghana in the final.

The Hoopers won their 5th national title on 25 November 2023, following the Final Four which was hosted in Port Harcourt. They finished with an undefeated 13–0 record and qualified for the 2024 BAL season, where they will be making their second appearance.[9]

Honours

Nigerian Premier League

Crown Elite Basketball Championship

  • Champions (1): 2022[10]

Louis Edem Invitational Basketball Championship

  • Winners (1): 2023

In African competitions

FIBA Africa Clubs Champions Cup (3 appearances)

Basketball Africa League (2 appearance)

  • 2021 – Group Stage
  • 2024 – To be played

Players

Current roster

The following roster was the Rivers Hoopers team in the 2021 BAL season.

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationality not displayed.

Rivers Hoopers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 00 Nigeria Balogun, Emmanuel 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 25 – (1998-12-17)17 December 1998
SG 2 Nigeria Alalibo, Ronald 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 29 – (1994-05-08)8 May 1994
F 10 Nigeria Nwaiwu, Buchi 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 25 – (1998-08-20)20 August 1998
C 11 Nigeria Koko, Victor 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 31 – (1992-12-14)14 December 1992
F 12 Nigeria Ajegbeyi, Solomon 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 28 – (1995-11-02)2 November 1995
PG 14 Nigeria Uzoh, Ben 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 93 kg (205 lb) 35 – (1988-03-18)18 March 1988
G 15 Uganda Opong, Robinson (I) 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 95 kg (209 lb) 34 – (1989-05-10)10 May 1989
SF 21 Nigeria Osigbodi, Precious 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) 28 – (1995-07-07)7 July 1995
PG 22 Nigeria Ikechukwu, Benjamin 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 26 – (1997-06-14)14 June 1997
PG 23 Nigeria James, Victor 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 27 – (1996-02-06)6 February 1996
F 24 United States Sullivan, Taren (I) 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 28 – (1995-07-30)30 July 1995
PG 33 Nigeria Owoicho, Simon 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 28 – (1995-11-23)23 November 1995
C 55 United States Daniels, Chris (I) 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 39 – (1984-11-19)19 November 1984
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Import player
  • Injured Injured
Updated: 16 May 2021

Notable players

Individual awards

Premier League MVP

Premier League Final MVP

References

  1. ↑ "About". Rivershoopers.com. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Rivers Hoopers (NIGERIA)". The BAL. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  3. ↑ John, Queen (1 March 2019). "Off the court with Queen John… Azuoma Dike". China. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "River Hoopers win 2019 NBBF President's Cup, qualify for Basketball Africa League". 18 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Festus Ezeli signs with Rivers Hoopers in NBA/FIBA's Basketball Africa League". Sportando.basketball. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  6. ↑ Proballers. "Ben Uzoh, Basketball Player". Proballers. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  7. ↑ Saliu, Mohammed (18 November 2021). "Rivers Hoopers Knock Bulls to Claim Championship, BAL TIcket". Brila.net. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "FIBA Africa stops Rivers Hoopers from BAL". The Nation Newspaper. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  9. ↑ Busari, Niyi. "Rivers Hoopers Crowned NBBF Final 4 Champions, Pick BAL Ticket". BSN Sports. Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  10. ↑ "Rivers Hoopers win Crown Elite Basketball championship". The Port Harcourt Telegraph. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
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