Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu has expressed confidence in his team’s chances of making it to the single-elimination playoffs of the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Hoopers were drawn alongside Patriots, Ferroviario de Maputo, US Monastir, Forces Armees et Police Basketball (FAP) and Zamalek in the Nile Conference of the BAL.

The top four teams from the Nile Conference will advance to the single-elimination playoffs (Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, third Place Game and Championship Game) scheduled to take place between May 26 and 31 in Kigali, Rwanda

Reacting to the draw, Odaudu said: “It is a very difficult Conference, as a matter of fact, there is no Conference that is easy. Every game is going to be competitive. Everybody has to do their work extra there is no team you would say is a write-off.”

“I feel very confident we can pick one or two games also coupled with the fact that we are going to be playing two of our home games in front of our fans so it gives us an added advantage. Hopefully, we can sneak our way into the knock out stages.”

Rivers Hoopers have been training in Port Harcourt since 1 February which Odaudu believes will put his team in good stead.

“So far we have been doing a lot of work practising morning and evening getting fit, doing a lot of ball work and working on our plays. I think we are going to do well we are just going to fine-tune a lot of other stuff and we will be ready for the championship.”