Rivers Hoopers’ hopes of revenge against group leaders, Al Ittihad failed as they fell to a second straight loss to the Egyptian side, this time 94-77 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, on Saturday.
Unlike the high-scoring first meeting on April 9, where the Hoopers at least managed 80 points in a 100-80 defeat, Saturday’s rematch laid bare the growing gulf in class between the two sides.
Second Quarter Collapse
The game turned decisively in the second quarter, where Al Ittihad outscored Rivers Hoopers 30-10, building a 20-point halftime lead (49-29) that Nigeria’s champions never recovered from.
What began as a relatively balanced contest quickly turned into a rout due to Rivers’ turnovers, defensive lapses, and the Egyptians’ clinical ball movement.
Key Performer – Akec Steps Up
Despite the loss, Akec remained a bright spot for Rivers Hoopers, finishing with:
- 17 points
- 5 rebounds
- 3 assists
His energy on both ends helped limit the damage in the second half, but the Nigerian side never came closer than 14 points after halftime.
Al Ittihad’s Domination
Al Ittihad, undefeated in the Kalahari Conference, once again imposed their physicality and depth. Their perimeter shooting, strong bench contributions, and disciplined defending left the Hoopers scrambling.
They’ve now won both meetings by a combined margin of 37 points, and are the first team from the Kalahari Conference to secure playoff qualification undefeated.
What It Means for Rivers Hoopers
This defeat will not be a huge loss for the Hoopers as they have sealed early qualification to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) playoffs.
They remain second on the table, having won 3 of their 5 games ahead of their final group-stage clash.
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