Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu
Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club has signed Ugandan International Robinson Odoch Opong as a replacement for the injured Festus Ezeli ahead of the Basketball Africa League in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ezeli who joined the Kingsmen last week completed the four-man transfer scoop requirement for all teams participating in the BAL, but a recent injury sustained by the 2015 NBA Champion forced the Hoopers to sign Opong.
According to Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu: “Festus Ezeli signed with us to play the Basketball Africa League but in a recent interaction with his medical team they confirmed that he picked up an injury during training which could keep him out for 4 weeks.”
“He was willing to play for us and I can tell you he is very disappointed the strain in his leg will prevent him from playing for Hoopers at the BAL.”
Robinson Odoch Opong, 31, has garnered huge experience playing on African soil. He represented his country, Uganda at the 2017 Afrobasket Championship where he led his teammates in minutes, points and steals.
Opong averaged 15.3PPG, 5RPG, and 1.2APG at the 2017 Afrobasket jointly hosted by Senegal and Tunisia. Also at the 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers played early this year, Opong averaged 19PPG, 4RPG, and 2.7APG while shooting 44% from the field for Uganda.
Opong has also played for Huesca, Saskatchewan Rattlers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League and Mozambican side Ferroviario Beira at the 2019 Africa Basketball League. He averaged 13PPG and 9RPG.
The 6’3 guard joins Ben Uzoh, Chris Daniels, and Taren Sullivan, in the Rivers Hoopers’ team.
The Basketball Africa League will take place between May 16 and 30 at the Kigali Arena, Rwanda.
