2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League: Abel Offia scores 23 to lead Rivers Hoopers past Lagos Legends
Rivers Hoopers crushed Lagos Legends 102-46 to win their fifth consecutive game in the Atlantic Conference of the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League in Benin on Thursday.
Abel Offia scored 23, Ifeanyi Koko scored 19, while Ikenna Okpaluba added 10 points.
Offia also made six three-pointers in a game they dominated all through with ease.
The Chief of Defence Staff Basketball Championship (CDS) MVP bagged six points in the first quarter to give Hoopers an early 24-5 lead. He later scored eight points, including back-to-back treys, to help the KingsMen go 51-23 up by halftime.
Legends who played with a seven-man rotation found it difficult to run down the stretch with Hoopers.
With 40 seconds left to play, Offia knocked down a corner three as Rivers Hoopers reached their first 100-point game of the conference.
Rivers Hoopers Vice Captain, Buchi Nwaiwu, is elated that the team has started very well in their quest to defend their title.
‘I feel great; it’s the start of great things happening for us this season. It’s a good way to start.’
‘I feel very ecstatic about it, and we want to use the same energy for our remaining games. We are taking it 100, and till we leave Benin, we are not ready to rest on our oars. We have set the standard, and we hope to continue it.’
Rivers Hoopers will play Kwara Falcons on Friday at 2 p.m.
