The defending champions of the Nigeria Basketball League, Rivers Hoopers, have started their title defense of the 2023 crown on a strong note with an 87-39 win over south-south rivals Delta Force on Sunday in Benin.
The Hoopers started strong with a 27-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and further extended it to 48-17 over Delta Force, who struggled on both ends of the floor.
The second quarter was no different, as the KingsMen continued to dominate their opponents from Asaba.
Ifeanyi Koko scored 18 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, provided 4 assists, and made 3 steals. Koko also shot 3-of-3 from behind the arc and 1-of-3 from the free-throw line.
MVP of the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) Abel Offia added 15 points and 4 assists while knocking down two three-pointers in the game, while Patrick Abah scored 10 points and grabbed 4 rebounds, going 100% from the foul line.
On his league debut, Samuel was a delight to watch in front of the Edo fans. The former High Flyers of Benin center player scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, which included three dunks.
Sani contributed 4 rebounds and made 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. It was also another great debut for Victor Sunday, who scored 8 points on 4-of-4 shooting, along with 6 assists and 3 rebounds from the bench.
Buchi Nwaiwu and Victor Mohammed both contributed on the boards, with 8 and 10 rebounds, respectively. The KingsMen will play the Oluyole Warriors in their next game.
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