FIBA Africa Zone 3 Champions, Rivers Hoopers departed Nigeria in the early hours of Friday for Morocco where they will compete in Group A of the FIBA Africa Basketball League billed to tipoff on Friday, March 1 and end on Sunday, March 3, 2019.

Hoopers Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu led a contingent of 11 to Morocco from the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos aboard an Air Maroc flight today at 5 am.

Hoopers’ flight to Morocco today puts an end to fears of the team incurring a possible ban and substantial fines from FIBA after the team’s general manager Ifie Ozaka said last week, that they were considering pulling out of the competition due to a paucity of funds.

It appears the team’s sponsors, the Rivers State government has stumped up the necessary funds for the team to participate in the tournament.

Rivers Hoopers are expected to take on hosts and defending champions AS Sale on Friday at 7:30pm local time just a few hours after arriving in Morocco. Their next games are against SLAC of Guinea and JS Kairouan of Tunisia on Saturday and Sunday respectively.