The Basketball Africa League’s (BAL) Sahara Conference kicked off on Saturday, May 4, with some shocking results on Day 1 as debutants APR, as well as Nigerian champions Rivers Hoopers sealed historic wins.
Rwandan side APR saw off US Monastir in overtime in the opening game to get their maiden win in the BAL, while Rivers Hoopers, who are in their second BAL tournament, got their first win in the Sahara Conference.
The two sides will be in action on Day 2 at the Dakar Arena in Senegal, and with the Hoopers at the top of the standings and APR in second, they will both be looking to get the win to further help their cause of securing a playoff berth.
Our next game is against APR today. #TheKingsMen #HoopersNation #BAL4#TheBAL pic.twitter.com/3TpW1mylZI
— Rivers Hoopers (@RiversHoopers) May 5, 2024
When is the game between APR and Rivers Hoopers?
Nigeria’s sole representative at the BAL, Rivers Hoopers, will be up against Rwandan champions APR on Sunday, May 5, at the Dakar Arena, with the game scheduled to kick off at 3:30 p.m. (Nigerian time).
Historical perspective: APR vs Rivers Hoopers
There has never been an encounter between these two sides at the BAL, as APR are making their debut, while Rivers Hoopers are making a return after being at the maiden edition in 2021.
APR have only previously played one game at the BAL, their win against Tunisia’s US Monastir, which means they have a 100% record in the tournament.
On the other hand, the King’s Men are definitely the more experienced side, having played four games in the tournament, including Saturday’s win over AS Douanes. They have two wins and two losses, and this game will be their fifth in the competition.
Rivers Hoopers are looking to make history at the BAL, as a win in this game will see them become the first Nigerian team at the tournament to win back-to-back games.
Previous game result
APR 89 – 84 US Monastir
AS Douanes 68 – 77 Rivers Hoopers
Notable players to watch
APR: Adonis Filer (Guard); Noel Obadiah (Guard); Axel Mpoyo (Forward)
Rivers Hoopers: Devine Eke (Forward); Will Perry (Guard); Kelvin Amayo (Guard)
Coaches
APR: Mazen Trakh
Rivers Hoopers: Ogoh Odaudu
How to watch APR vs Rivers Hoopers game
You can catch the Sahara Conference Day 2 action between APR (Rwanda) and Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria) LIVE on Afrosport TV, channel 730 on Free TV anywhere in Nigeria.
Anyone in Nigeria can also watch the game on the go via Afrosport’s streaming link for FREE…Stream the game LIVE on the VIDIVU online portal.
