DStv PBL: Royal Hoopers BC road to glory - Jun 30, 2011 Royal Hoopers basketball club of Port Harcourt last Sunday became the new champion of the Nigeria DStv Premier Basketball League with a 102-72 points victory over highly rated Union Bank basketball club of Lagos at the 2010/2011 DStv PBL Final-8 Playoss finals in Lagos. Royal Hoopers basketball club joined the Nigeria top league three seasons ago and has remain consistent every season qualifying for the post season since joining the Nigeria Basketball Federation organised DStv Premier League. In the club first season in the league, the Port Harcourt-based side announced its presence with a spectacular performance in the regular season of the 2008/2009 season thus qualifying for the final-8 playoffs won by Kano Pillars basketball club, the club followed it with another good run in the Atlantic conference of the league in the 2009/2010 season making the final-8 playoffs in grand style where it led other seven clubs in the conference to the playoffs with a 12-2 records. The 2009/2010 Final-8 Playoffs hosted by the club brought the best in it ability and readiness to make a bold statement by not only giving a good performance before it home fans but almost won the league losing by a point (77-78) to former champion Kano Pillars basketball club in the grand finale, the club went ahead to book a place in the final round of the FIBA Africa Champions Club competition alongside Kano Pillars basketball club from the FIBA Africa Zone-3 qualifying round in Monrovia, Liberia in November of 2010. Being a new comer to Africa biggest club competition the could not make much impact in the final round of the club championship won by Primero De Agosto basketball club of Angola December 2010 losing out at the group stage. At the beginning of the Nigeria 2010/2011 DStv League season Royal Hoopers basketball club coached by former Nigeria international point guard, Ogoh Odaudu went on recruitment spree to solidify the team ahead the season, the recruitment paid off as the club finished second behind Union Bank basketball club in the Atlantic conference with a 12-2 records. The Hoopers were then grouped in Pool-B alongside former champion Kano Pillars, Yelwa Hawks basketball club of Bauchi and Dodan Warriors basketball club of Lagos during the final-8 playoffs. The players and their handlers wasted no time in dismissing all its Group-B opponents (Royal Hoopers 80-65 Yelwa Hawks); (Royal Hoopers 82-66 Dodan Warriors) and (Royal Hoopers 82-79 Kano Pillars), the club greatest challenge of the final-8 playoffs came during its semi-final match-up against Kada Stars basketball club of Kaduna with the youthful Kaduna side coached by Coach Sani Turi almost turned the table against the Hoopers who has to relied on over-time to snatched a 96-94 points victory to set up a grand finale battle against Union Bank basketball club of Lagos. Playing away from home the Hoopers with Union Bank basketball club taking an early lead in the early part of the first quarter but Coach Odaudu quick time-out paid off as the Hoopers fought back to shock their opponent in all department of the game winning in all four quarters by 22-21; 23-15; 24-13 and 33-23 to snapped its first league title. The club won two of the four individual award with its combo-guard Azuoma Dike being adjudged as the 2010/2011 seasons most valuable player (MVP) and small forward Musa Usman winning the highest rebounder award leaving the highest scorer award and best three pointer award to Abubakar Usman of Kano Pillars basketball club and Oladipupo Oshunnubi of Dodan Warriors basketball club respectively. Royal Hoopers basketball club was rewarded with a cash prize of N1, 000,000 and a giant trophy for its effort. |
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