Unbeaten Rivers Hoopers Emerge Atlantic Conference Champions

Unbeaten Rivers Hoopers Emerge Atlantic Conference Champions

Precious Oham

Defending champions Rivers Hoopers defeated Hoops and Read 80-78 in a keenly contested game on the last day of the Atlantic Conference in Benin on Saturday, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Four players finished on double digits for Hoopers; Johnson Anaiye scored 13, Michael Okiki added 12, while Patrick Abah and Ifeanyi Koko both scored 10 apiece.

Abah and Koko both made two treys in the game, scoring 2/3 from the arc.

Anaiye also made 8-of-12 from the line. Hoopers captain and vice captain Victor Koko and Buchi Nwaiwu both contributed from the boards with 6 rebounds each in the game.

Hoopers took a 20-10 point lead with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter, but a 7-0 run late in that quarter reduced the deficit to two for Hoops and Read.

Rivers Hoopers made 7/27 from deep and scored 21/27 from the foul line and outrebounded Hoops and Read 31-28.

Two former players of Hoopers, Michael Oriakhi and Bolaji Emilagba, both combined for 28 points as the Lagos team outscored the KingsMen 25-20 in the fourth.

Bolaji made a crucial three-pointer with 18 seconds left to play to take the game to a one-point game 79-78.

Okiki, who was fouled right after head coach Ogoh Odaudu called a time out, scored one of the free throws in the last nine seconds of the game.

Koko grabbed the rebound as Hoopers ran down the clock to pick up their seventh win of the Atlantic Conference.

The KingsMen will return to Port Harcourt to prepare for the final eight billed for 13-19 November in a yet-to-be decided venue.