Basketball in Africa

The fourth edition of the annual Royal Hoopers Classics ended Tuesday in Port-Harcourt Rivers State with host Royal Hoopers basketball club as champion with a 61-51 point victory over Union Bank basketball club of Lagos.

The Royal Hoopers basketball club despite playing their semi-final game against Dodan Warriors on the morning of the final, they left no one in doubt about their ambition of winning the title which was achieved in grand style.
Royal Hoopers propelled by their President, Syndoph Endoni threw aside the rating of Union Bank basketball club of Lagos and played as hungry lions to the delight of their numerous fans that thronged the new look Police Officers Mess court located at the heart of the old GRA.

To make assurances double clear for them that they were for the title, they went ahead to win the championship with 10 points ahead of the Stallion boys who had to edge out the FCT Rocks of Abuja in a grueling semi-final game the previous day.
With the victory, Royal Hoopers have joined the list of teams to have won the annual championship which now enjoys the support of the Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), UBA, Pepperoni and Itex Furnitures.

Others teams that have won in the championship in the past include FCT Rocks in 2005; Dodan Warriors in 2006 and Ebun Comet in 2007.
The host team on their way to the final had played in Group-A alongside Bayelsa Waves, Delta Force and Port-Harcourt Knights formerly known as Free Nets and emerged second behind FCT Rocks.
The team went ahead to edged past Dodan Warriors basketball club of Lagos in a game that saw them very determined to win the championship as they had to put in their best with the likes of Bemute Suobo, Gift Achiuwa and others marshalling urging the Hoopers on while coaches Lamai Johnson, Fuburah Onyenabor and Tekeena Okugwa at their best.
Tried as much as Union Bank did to change the course of the game, the fighting spirit of the Port-Harcourt boys was not to be daunted as they went ahead to claim victory that threw many of their fans into wild jubilation.

Union Bank on their way to the final had played in Group-B alongside Ebun Comet, Dodan Warriors, Chariots of Lagos and UNN Lions which featured Victor Okoro of Bauchi Nets.

The third place game saw Dodan Warriors claiming victory over the FCT Rocks in a match that preceded the final game.

For their efforts, the Royal Hoopers basketball team got the sum of N400, 000 in addition to a giant trophy while the runners-up, Union Bank smiled back to Lagos with the sum of N300, 000 and Dodan Warriors got N200, 000 for their effort.
Speaking after his boys won the game; Royal Hoopers president, Endoni expressed joy at the accomplishment of his team and noted that they as a team are now ready for any level of competition especially the Nigeria Basketball Federation organized Premier basketball league.
This victory is like a dream come true and I must say that the players and officials have made us proud and this shows that investing in the youths is paying off handsomely, he stated.
One of the coaches of the team, Teekena Okumgba who also spoke on the teams victory said it was a thing of joy for the team to have made this far.
Our victory goes to show that our hard work has not been in vain. We can only work hard to get better because what we have ahead of us is real big. We thank God for his seeing us through thus far.

Royal Hoopers Gift Achiuwa was voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the classics and got a plaque and certificate for his effort.
The highest scorer in the Classics went to Chariots combo guard, Anyebe Alexandra who scored a total of 84 points, while the award for the highest rebounder went to Joseph Ochiebo also of the Chariots basketball club of Lagos with a total of 48 rebounds.
The leader in assists was claimed by Haruna Maitama who recorded 10 assists and Moses Daudu who featured for the Port-Harcourt Knights recorded 9 steals.
In the area of most 3 points made, Nosa Omorogbe of FCT Rocks took the day just as veteran player Bemute Swabou of Royal Hoopers emerged the best free throw shooter and Echoi Peters of FCT Rocks emerged the leader in block shots.

from africabasket.com