Defending champions Rivers Hoopers will have a date with Lagos-based basketball club Hoops & Read in the final of the 2024 Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final 8 tournament on Tuesday after both teams emerged victorious in Sunday’s semi-final clashes, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Rivers Hoopers, who made history as this year’s Basketball League Africa, booked a back-to-back final ticket in a heated 79-73 win against Gboko City Chiefs in Port Harcourt.
In a thrilling game that saw stoppages over protests, Hoopers made a stunning comeback in the third and fourth quarters to win the game after trailing in the first two.
Gboko Chiefs took a 24-20 lead in Q1 and maintained a 37-34 lead into the break.
The defending champions, however, bounced back in the third, overtaking them by 60-52 points before winning by a six-point margin.
In the first semi-final, Hoops & Read clinched the first final ticket after beating Nile University Spartans by 67-58 points.
The Eko Basketball League champions got off the blocks as quickly as possible in the first semi-finals, holding on to a slim 19-17 point lead in the first quarter.
Nile University, however, came out stronger in the second quarter, and they pegged Hoops back with a one-point gap to take a 33-32 lead into the break.
Momentum swung back in the way of Hoops in the third and fourth quarters as coach Victor Mensah’s side regained a five-point advantage for a 48-43 point lead in the third before finishing the game with a nine-point gap, winning by 67-58 points.
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