Former NBA player Ben Uzoh became the first player to score in the newly-created Basketball Africa League (BAL) (www.theBAL.com), but the historic game belonged to host Patriots Basketball Club of Rwanda who defeated Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers 83-60 on Sunday at Kigali Arena.
Although the Hoopers had a promising start, they struggled to adjust to the Patriots’ aggressive defence.
And turning the ball over 20 times didn’t help.
Wilson Nshobozwabyosenumukiza, who came off the bench, and Prince Ibeh led the Patriots comeback, and the Nigerians couldn’t find any answers.
And to make matters worse for the Hoopers, they got in foul trouble early in the second quarter, and things were never the same.
Basketball Africa League: Patriots Defeat Rivers Hoopers In Opening Match
channelstv.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from channelstv.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
J Cole helps Patriots BBC beat Nigerian side on pro basketballSport — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
guardian.ng - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from guardian.ng Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Punch Newspapers
Sections
Published 15 May 2021
D’Tigers point guard Ben Uzoh, who has joined Nigeria’s Rivers Hoopers, is poised to become the first former NBA player to play in the Basketball Africa League, having played for the New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors from 2010 to 2012.
Uzoh was a member of D’Tigers at the 2016 Olympics, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 and FIBA AfroBasket in 2013 and 2015.
BAL on Friday unveiled the rosters of all 12 teams ahead of the league’s inaugural season, which tips off Sunday at the Kigali Arena in Rwanda.
Rwanda’s Patriots BC play Nigeria’s representatives Rivers Hoopers in the first BAL Game.