By Favour Itua

Rivers Hoopers fell short in their final Basketball Africa League (BAL) seeding game on Saturday, losing 89–81 to Tunisian giants US Monastir despite a standout performance from Rahpiael Putney, who recorded a BAL career-high 28 points along with 7 rebounds.

The Nigerian champions started strong at the Dakar Arena, exchanging leads nine times in a closely fought first quarter. Putney led the early charge with 10 points, and Madut Akec nailed a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Hoopers a narrow 16–14 lead.

Midway through the second quarter, Ahmed Doumbia sparked a run with 7 points in two minutes, pushing Rivers Hoopers ahead 27–21.

The KingsMen maintained momentum, going into halftime with a 36–32 lead after a fast-break finish from Akec, assisted by Michael Okiki.

Putney extended the lead early in the third with back-to-back three-pointers, but Monastir responded swiftly. Bench contributions from Andrew Edogi, Patrick Hardy Jr., and Osiris Eldridge swung the momentum, helping the Tunisian side grab a 4-point advantage by the end of the third quarter.

Monastir’s bench proved decisive, outscoring Rivers Hoopers’ second unit 41–19. BAL Elevate talent Babacar Sane dominated the fourth quarter, leading the 2022 champions to a game-high 13-point lead that the KingsMen could not overcome. Doumbia’s deep buzzer-beater trimmed the final margin to eight.

Peter Olisemeka posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Akec added 15 points for Rivers Hoopers. No other player reached double figures.

Head coach Ogoh Odaudu attributed the loss to a lapse in focus after halftime.

“We were up there in the first two quarters, and then in the third quarter everything broke down,” Odaudu said.

“We’re happy it happened in a seeding game. It gives us the opportunity to clean things up before the quarterfinals.”

Despite the setback, Odaudu—recently named BAL Coach of the Year—remained confident in his squad’s ability to bounce back.

“Except for that break in the third quarter, I’m impressed with what they did.”

Rivers Hoopers will now face Rwanda’s APR in the BAL quarterfinals on Monday, June 9. US Monastir will meet defending champions Petro de Luanda.