IKECHUKWU ENJOYING HOME COMFORT IN PORT HARCOURT

Rivers Hoopers guard, Benjamin Ikechukwu spent some time with Rivers Hoopers Media this week during which he spoke of his delight at the supportership in Port Harcourt and emphasized his team’s approach towards other teams in the Kwese Premier Basketball League.

The KingsMen will entertain Delta Force in Port Harcourt on Thursday in what will be their 5th straight home game this season.

Delta Force have won just two out of their 6 games played this season, both on home court in Asaba but Ikechukwu said they will not be underrated.

“If you are a basketball player, you would know that underrating anybody on the basketball court is the worst thing you want to do. For the fact that you have a 5-game winning streak and they don’t have that doesn’t mean they can’t beat you on the day. If you underrate them or show any sign of complacency, definitely they will hurt you,” an analytical Ikechukwu posited.

“As it stands now they have nothing to lose as they are coming to Port Harcourt to play against us. The bookmakers will give us this game but games are not won outside the basketball court so we have to do our best to win," Ikechuwku emphasized.

The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) graduate lauded Port Harcourt fans for their support which he believes has been an essential ingredient to Hoopers’ home success so far this season. The guard who says he is not familiar with such crowd support, made comparisons between when he played in Lagos, his former base and now.

"It is very different from Lagos. I played all my previous league teams in Lagos and it is different because you are naturally not at home even when you are at home.

"But in Port Harcourt, you have people that are called your own fans, they come to watch you play, they yell, shout, call your name, and support you from the blast of the whistle till the end. There is always that sense of belonging when you play here rather than the feeling you get in Lagos," expressed the former Lagos Warriors star.

The Abia born guard has contributed immensely to Rivers Hoopers especially in the last two games against NAF Rockets and Hoops & Read scoring in double digits in the two games. He cannot seemingly have enough of the support and he used his time with the Rivers Hoopers Media to call on the fans to come out and support them on Thursday.

"On Thursday, I am urging the fans to come to the basketball court on Niger Street, come cheer Rivers Hoopers we will always do our best to protect the land,” Ikechukwu concluded.