Al Ittihad win 2025 Kalahari Conference with dominant performance over Rivers Hoopers

Al Ittihad clinched the 2025 Kalahari Conference title on Saturday thanks to a dominant performance against Rivers Hoopers.

The Nigerian champions put up a fight in the first quarter as the teams finished 19-19.

The next three quarters, however, were a one-sided affair as the BAL debutants excelled from long range.

The 94-77 victory was Al Ittihad's second over the Hoopers after a 100-80 win in their first meeting earlier this week.

Al Ittihad improved to 5-0 while Rivers Hoopers dropped to 3-2 with one game remaining for both teams.

Al Ittihad shot 14-for-33 from behind the arc to send a message, according to Youssef Mohamed Aboushousha, who finished with 15 points on 6-for-6 shooting.

"They played most of the game with six or seven players; they played zone defense the whole game, which allowed us to get a lot of open shots," Aboushousha explained.

Al Ittihad's 49-29 lead at the break proved too much for the Hoopers to overcome.

And with seven Al Ittihad players hitting at least one three-pointer apiece, it was mission impossible for the Nigerian champions.

Majok Deng proved to be the most efficient and productive substitute player in the conference for the fifth game in a row, finishing with a game-high 18 points.

Rivers Hoopers won the rebounding battle 47-36, but Omar Soliman's men owned the game.

Eleven Al Ittihad players scored at least two points each.

"We are getting better game by game," Aboushousa said.

The Egypt international continued: "It was a great game for us against a great team. We are already qualified, but we want to win every game. It was a challenge for us, and we want to go into the next round with a clean sheet.

"These wins give us more confidence for the rest of the season.

"As BAL newcomers, it feels great to win the conference, but we are aiming for the finals and to become BAL winners," Aboushousha stressed.

Madut Akec led the Hoopers with 17 points; Kelvin Amayo, the other Rivers Hoopers player to score in double figures, finished with 11 points.

Al Ittihad is the third Egyptian team to win a BAL conference title after Zamalek (2022) and Al Ahly (2024).

Al Ittihad conclude their conference campaign on Sunday, April 13, when they take on hosts FUS Rabat, while Rivers Hoopers face Stade Malien.