Rivers State Basketball team, Rivers Hoopers have lost its opening game of the NBA basketball Africa League to the Patriots of Rwanda.
Hoopers, the only team representing Nigeria, lost (83-60) to JCole’s BBC Patriots of Rwanda in Kigali on Sunday.
The two-week tournament pitches 12 of the best clubs with the final taking place on May 30.
The teams are divided into three groups of four, which are Groups A, B, and C, and will play three games against opponents within their group.
The top eight teams will advance to the quarterfinal round next week. Group A, includes GNBC (Madagascar), US Monastir (Tunisia), Patriots (Rwanda) and Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria).