Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu don make mental preparation di main thing as di KingsMen dey prepare for di 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final Four, wey go start on Saturday for Basketball Stadium inside Old Port Harcourt Township. Di three-day, round-robin event go bring Hoopers, defending champions Maktown Flyers, Gboko City Chiefs and Aso Sky Hawks together, and di winner go collect di NPBL title plus Nigeria only ticket for di 2027 Basketball Africa League season.
Odaudu point to last season 74-72 final-seconds defeat to Lagos Legends as wetin change im approach. "Most of di things we no do well before no be about basketball ability — na mental thing," im tok. "I don spend plenti time dey talk to di players, dey enter dia head, instead of just to dey make dem run up and down di court."
Hoopers reach di Final Four as di number one seed with 6-1 playoff record, edge Maktown on points differential. Odaudu say di team don still dey improve. "From wetin I dey see for practice, dis one no go be di same team wey play for di playoffs too. E get more intensity, more hunger, and more determination," im add.
But di veteran coach reject talk say one team don already win am. "E no go be two-horse race or three-horse race. Na four-horse race because every team for di Final Four fit win am," im tok, as im warn im squad say three match days no get room for any mistake.
