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Rivers Hoopers overcame a hostile atmosphere and a late-game scuffle to secure a gritty 74-62 victory over hosts Coal City Blazers on Day Two of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Phase Two on Sunday.
A cynical foul on Hoopers guard Victor Sunday with just over a minute remaining sparked a confrontation between players, drawing both head coaches onto the court and resulting in technical fouls for both benches.
Despite the late chaos, Hoopers rode a dominant third-quarter surge to silence the home crowd. Trailing 33-35 at halftime, the KingsMen turned the tide with relentless defensive pressure, outscoring the Blazers 17-8 in the third period to establish a lead that ultimately decided the contest.
Point guards Sunday and Anaiye Johnson spearheaded the second-half revival, breaking down the Blazers’ defense with sharp ball-handling and aggressive drives. Inside the paint, Samuel Sani and Buchi Vincent were vital, anchoring the defense with crucial rebounds and scoring timely points at the other end of the floor.
“It was very physical, but it’s something we anticipated given that the home team would come out fighting,” Rivers Hoopers interim head coach Ronald Alalibo said. “Based on our scouting report, we knew they were a team that hustles and fights to gain possession a lot, and we prepared accordingly.”
Alalibo credited the team’s roster depth, recruitment strategy, and in-game management for weathering the Blazers’ high-energy style and securing a vital win.
“We try as much as possible to recruit personnel that can feature in different aspects of the game,” Alalibo added. “Technically, we noticed that other than shooting from range, we needed fighters who could also handle the ball well.”
However, when reflecting on the late game altercation, Alalibo called for calmer heads as the tournament progresses.
“Everybody wants to play… and naturally—with rising adrenaline levels—tempers begin to flare,” he said. “But I just believe that if we can keep calm and not let the crowd disrupt the game, everyone goes home safe, which is very important.”
Rivers Hoopers face a quick turnaround as they meet rivals Hoops & Read on Monday.
The sides split their previous meetings during the Atlantic Conference Phase One, with the Hoopers taking an 84-58 victory before Hoops & Read bounced back to win the rematch 70-65.
“We’ll try as much as possible to allow the players get enough rest because we know tomorrow’s game will also be physical,” Alalibo said. “But we’re here to compete, and with the personnel we have, we just have to step on the court and play better than we did today.”
