Rivers Alphas quarterback Adewale Akinpelu Yussuf has vowed that his team will remain focused after a difficult 41-0 defeat to Abia Warriors in their opening game of SHOWTIME Flag Football League Season XV at Showtime Arena.
Akinpelu, wearing No. 55, finished with a 3.1 player rating on a challenging afternoon for the Alphas. Rather than shy away from the result, the quarterback believes the opening weekend should be treated as a starting point for a team with an entire season ahead of it.
“It’s the beginning of a new season, so we’re taking our time, and we’re not going to allow one result to distract us. The most important thing is to remain focused, keep working and come into every game with the right mentality. It didn’t work for us today, but the season is long, and we will keep working,” Akinpelu said.
The individual ratings added another dimension to the contest. Abia Warriors quarterback Bello Anuoluwapo topped the ratings with 8.1, closely followed by receiver Success Patrick on 8.0, while Joseph Williams recorded 7.3 and defender Owen Favour finished on 7.0.
For Rivers, Temituro Elizabeth led the displayed ratings with 5.9, while defenders Oluwatamilore Fashina and Qudus Tanimowo recorded 5.8 each. Those numbers give players another benchmark to measure their performances as Season XV progresses.
The rating system is also becoming an important storytelling tool for SHOWTIME. Supporters can now follow individual performances alongside scores, play-by-play action and player profiles, creating conversations around who performed, who improved and who could become the next breakout star.
For sponsors, that provides another layer of commercial opportunity. Player of the Week campaigns, performance rankings, statistics, branded highlights and individual athlete partnerships can turn SHOWTIME’s growing pool of players into recognisable personalities beyond matchday.
For Akinpelu, the challenge is now straightforward: improve on Game Week 1 and lead the Alphas’ response.
The scoreline may have belonged to Abia Warriors, but Season XV has only started. Every game brings another rating, another performance, and another opportunity for players to write a different story.
