Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu and Most Valuable Player Abel Offia don set di newly crowned national champions eyes for di Basketball Africa League (BAL), wit Offia say say di team wan reach playoff first. Di two men tok afta di KingsMen beat outgoing champions Maktown Flyers 92-90 for overtime on Tuesday, for Day Three of di 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Final Four for Port Harcourt.
"I feel very excited say I dey go back to BAL wit di same team," Offia tok. "We go try to do something different dis time. We wan reach di playoffs first and see how far we fit go." Odaudu add: "I dey excited say we don back for Basketball Africa League, wey be di biggest stage for African club basketball."
Maktown lead 47-38 for halftime before Hoopers outscore dem 25-16 for di third quarter to level am at 80-80. Offia score 7 of im 14 points for overtime, sink one jumper wit under 60 seconds remain to tie di game before one steal for midcourt set up di decisive layup. Peter Olisemeka post one 16-point, 18-rebound double-double, Omar Abada add 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, and Offia chop NPBL MVP alongside Olisemeka and Abada for di All-Star Five. For di earlier game of di day, Aso Sky Hawks beat Gboko City Chiefs 80-75 to finish second at 2-1 and claim di Savannah Conference title.
