Two basketball stars of foreign origin in Nigeria, Kelvin Amayo and Peter Olisemeka, have returned to the six-time champions, Rivers Hoopers, for the current Nigeria Basketball Premier League playoffs taking place in Port Harcourt.
The arrival of Amayo and Olisemeka was announced by Hoopers on Wednesday, just three days into the 2025 playoffs in Port Harcourt, where they are aiming for a seventh league title and a berth in the 2026 Basketball Africa League.
Amayo played a crucial role in Rivers Hoopers’ third-place standings in last year’s BAL, averaging 16 points, 6.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game. His outstanding play earned him selections to the All-BAL Second Team and the BAL All-Defensive Second Team in 2024.
He also guided the KingsMen to success in the 2024 NBPL Final Eight, ensuring their qualification for the BAL. The guard was awarded the most valuable player of the playoffs and included in the tournament’s best five.
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Olisemeka is also well-acquainted with Nigeria’s top basketball scene, having aided the KingsMen in clinching the 2024 NPBL title and representing the Nigerian champions at the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2024 and 2025.
A notable moment for Olisemeka with the KingsMen occurred during the 2024 BAL, where he contributed significantly to Rivers Hoopers reaching the BAL semi-finals for the first time as a Nigerian club, scoring an impressive 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in a key quarterfinal win against Tunisia’s US Monastir (92-88).
Before joining the KingsMen in 2024, Olisemeka had played in various European leagues, including in Romania (RM Vâlcea), the Netherlands (ZZ Leiden), Bulgaria, and Poland.
Hoopers have started strong in this year’s final eight, winning their first two matches against Hoops and Rad 73-50 on Monday, followed by a 69-57 victory over Kano Pillars on Tuesday.
