Rivers Hoopers

Because culture needs repetition.

Now, let's go to Nigeria and look at the Rivers Hoopers.

They've won multiple Nigerian championships, made multiple BAL appearances and finished third in the Basketball Africa League in 2024.

There's history, there's success, there's talent.

But Rivers Hoopers exists inside a very different basketball structure.

The club began as the Royal Hoopers in 2005.

In 2009, River State stepped in to take over the club after its founder was leaving.

And that still wasn't enough to create stability.

Tomorrow they face NBA G League United, one win away from becoming the first African club to ever reach the Intercontinental Final.

from Rwanda to Nigeria, because the Rivers Hoopers are the Nigerian champions once again.

They beat Mactown Flyers 92-90 in overtime to win the Nigerian Premier Basketball League and secure Nigeria's place in the next BAL.

Abel Afa was named MVP, while Tunisia's Omar Abada was named in the final five alongside Peter Oleshmeka.

And Abad is worth mentioning because in my opinion, if we're talking about the best African point guards playing right now, he's at the top of that conversation alongside the baddie, Branko Baddio.

We're now six seasons into the BAR, that's six years of African players getting regular high-level continental club basketball alongside their domestic and national teams.

So while the Rivers Hoopers winning another Nigerian championship is the headline, I'm interested to see what another BAL season brings for Abada and the next generation of African guards coming through behind him.

Now to Kenya, because on Wednesday President William Ruto was courtside in New York watching Kenya's Medina Okot and the Atlanta Dream beating New York Liberty 83-65.