TORONTO, Ont. - It was a busy weekend for Nehita Oko-Oboh (Ottawa, ON/).  

It began on campus in Waterloo, in the PAC, the same building where Oko-Oboh usually spends her Saturdays. This time, on June 14, she traded her jersey and sneakers for a cap and gown, as she walked across the stage to receive her Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. 

The next day, Oko-Oboh was back in another OUA gym – the University of Toronto's Goldring Centre for High Performance Sports. This summer, it's the home of HOOPQUEENS, Canada's first professional women's basketball league.  

Oko-Oboh's Team Tide secured an 84-61 victory over Team Blaze to move to 2-0 on the season and take sole possession of first place in the four-team league. 

Founded in 2022 by former OUA athlete Keesa Koomalsingh, a Nipissing University graduate, the league has grown steadily ever since, and is now attracting huge crowds at UofT's downtown facility. 

"It's really fun to play in that kind of atmosphere," said Oko-Oboh, who was a standout for the Warriors in 2024-2025, taking home the OUA's Defensive Player of the Year award.  

Rest assured, we haven't yet seen the last of the former walk-on turned star forward, as she'll be returning to play another year with the Warriors while pursuing a master's degree in management science. 

In the meantime, "I thought it would be cool to get professional basketball experience," said Oho-Oboh, who joins former Warriors teammate Summer Pahl (Kitchener/) on Team Tide. It was Pahl's previous experience with HOOPQUEENS that led Oko-Oboh to join the league this season. 

Coaching Team Tide is another recent Warriors alumnus, Christine Hyde. The former Waterloo Associate Coach was recently announced as Head Coach of the Guelph Gryphons. 

While Oko-Oboh is looking forward to the chance to play against Hyde this upcoming season, she's relishing the opportunity to play under her mentor again this summer. 

"All the coaching staff [at Waterloo] were instrumental in my growth," said Oko-Oboh, "It's going to be weird without her, but it's good knowing that she has a Head Coach job, because she deserves that." 

"I'm so thrilled for our program to have our athletes and coaches performing at a high level," said Warriors Head Coach Jessica Roque. "HOOPQUEENS has been at the forefront of promoting women's basketball. And to see our Warriors together again in the community makes me very proud!" 

Hyde, along with Team Tide General Manager Audrey Ngongo, selected Oko-Oboh and Pahl in this season's draft. Seven other players round out the roster, including Oko-Oboh's OUA rival Miranda Campbell of the Laurier Golden Hawks. 

Each team had a ten-day training camp ahead of the June 8 season opener. They'll each play one last regular season game this Sunday, June 22 to determine seeding for next weekend's semifinals, with the final taking place on July. 

Aside from the full-time, professional environment Oko-Oboh is taking as preparation for a potential professional career down the line, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is enjoying the challenge of matching up against different playstyles. 

"There's so many players from so many different backgrounds. There's (NCAA Division 1) players, professional players. So, it's just a really cool atmosphere. And everyone's fighting to win games all the time." 

She also cited the target score rule, newly introduced this season, as an interesting twist she's enjoyed adapting to. 

Similar to the rule used by the CEBL, the target score ensures games are always won on a game-winning score. The clock is turned off at the first stoppage with under four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The leading team's score, plus nine points, is set as the target score, and the first team to reach that total wins the game. 

In Team Tide's season opener, Janika Griffith-Wallace hit a game-winner to give her squad a 66-63 victory after trailing for the majority of the game. 

"I think the target score really gave us a chance to come back into the game," said Oko-Oboh." And I really like high-pressure situations. Especially on defense, because I feel like I can perform in that aspect." 

Team Tide will look to go 3-0 against Team Charge, who also feature a duo of U SPORTS teammates in Queen's Gaels Brooke Hussey and newly arrived graduate transfer Kiyara Letlow. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. in Toronto.