Rivers Hoopers made a bold statement in their opening game of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season 5, defeating Stade Malien of Mali in convincing fashion with a final score of 81-60 in the Kalahari Conference opener held in Rabat, Morocco.
After a slow start that saw the Nigerian champions trailing by seven points at the end of the first quarter (16-23), the Hoopers found their rhythm and never looked back.
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Led by Kelvin Amayo, who scored 19 points, the team turned the tide before halftime, taking a 41-35 lead into the break.
By the third quarter, the KingsMen had built a commanding 62-47 lead, and they closed out the game with a dominant fourth quarter, limiting Stade Malien to 13 points while piling on 19 of their own.
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South Sudanese forward Madut Akec impressed in his debut, finishing with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Raphiael Putney added 14 points, and Maxi Shamba contributed 11 points.
Peter Olisemeka anchored the defence with 12 rebounds and nine points, helping the Hoopers overpower their Malian opponents.
The win marks another strong start for the Rivers Hoopers, who also won their opening game in last year’s tournament where they went on to finish third—the best-ever finish by a Nigerian club in BAL history.
Preparation and recruitment
Before the match, the team had spent two weeks in a closed training camp in preparation for the season. Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu, who was named BAL Season 4 Coach of the Year, emphasised that the team’s primary goal is to qualify for the BAL playoffs in South Africa.
“We came third last year, but we’re not looking too far ahead. Our first target is to qualify from Morocco to the finals in South Africa,” Odaudu said. “Every tournament is like an exam—you want to do better than the last. But we know it’s going to be tougher this time. Everyone knows our name now, so we’ll face even stronger competition.”
Despite the absence of key players from last season like Will Perry, Devine Eke, and John Wilkins, the Hoopers have added new talent including Maxi Shamba (Congo DR), Madut Akec (South Sudan), and Raphiael Putney (USA).
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The team also retained core contributors Kelvin Amayo and Peter Olisemeka, as well as rising talent David Ugonna.
Coach Odaudu remains confident in the team’s ability. “It’s a different group, but they’re all capable. I don’t single out players—we win as a team,” he said.
With their first win in the bag and five more games ahead in the conference, Rivers Hoopers are off to a strong start as they continue their quest for BAL glory.
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