The Rivers Hoopers of Nigeria made a powerful statement to kick off their Basketball Africa League (BAL) Season 5 campaign with an impressive 81-60 victory over Stade Malien of Mali. The game, held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco, on April 5, 2025, marked the first-ever BAL match hosted in Rabat, setting a thrilling tone for the season ahead.
Coming off a strong third-place finish in BAL 2024, the Hoopers demonstrated their depth and preparation, with Canadian-Nigerian guard Kelvin Amayo taking center stage. Amayo, named Player of the Game, scored 19 points, highlighted by his electrifying dunks that had the crowd roaring.
In addition to Amayo’s standout performance, South Sudanese forward Madut Akec played a vital role, contributing 16 points and 11 rebounds, including a series of impressive stepback shots. Other key contributors included Raphael Putney (14 points), Maxi Shamba (11 points), and Peter Olisemeka (9 points, 12 rebounds), rounding out the team effort that propelled the Hoopers to victory.
Despite Stade Malien’s legacy as a historic Malian club, founded in 1960 and with a strong presence in the FIBA Africa Club Champions Cup, they struggled to keep pace with the Hoopers’ fast-paced attack and solid defense, which capitalized on fast breaks and turnovers.
With this win, the Rivers Hoopers are setting their sights on exceeding their 2024 performance and are now focused on reaching the BAL final in South Africa in June 2025. The team’s next challenge will come against Egypt’s Al Ittihad and Morocco’s FUS Rabat in the Kalahari Conference.
Fans on X have already begun celebrating the Hoopers’ strong start and Amayo’s outstanding performance, eager for more as the team continues its journey through the Kalahari Conference.
First game of the BAL Season 5: go inside the action with the mini movie from Rivers Hoopers 🇳🇬 vs. Stade Malien 🇲🇱 at the Kalahari Conference.#BAL5 pic.twitter.com/q16HU51xuS
— Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) April 5, 2025
