Rivers Hoopers don return to di top of Nigerian basketball and back to continental stage. Di KingsMen beat Maktown Flyers 92-90 for overtime on Tuesday to win di Nigeria Premier Basketball League championship, and dem collect di only Nigeria ticket for di 2027 Basketball Africa League.
Di victory complete one clean Final Four run for Port Harcourt after Rivers Hoopers don already secure di title with one game to spare on Monday. Coach Ogoh Odaudu praise im team say dem don fulfill di target to take back di national crown. "Dis na exactly wetin we wan do—take back our rightful position, and we do am. I dey excited say we don return to Basketball Africa League, wey be di biggest stage for African club basketball," e talk.
Tournament MVP Abel Offia drop seven of im 14 points for overtime, including di decisive layup after e steal di ball for midcourt. Peter Olisemeka add one 16-point, 18-rebound double-double, while Tunisian guard Omar Abada contribute 17 points, six rebounds and six assists. Offia, Olisemeka and Abada all enter di NPBL All-Star Five.
Maktown, wey lead 47-38 for halftime, fall to one 25-16 third-quarter surge from Rivers Hoopers wey set up di tense finish. For di earlier game, Aso Sky Hawks beat Gboko City Chiefs 80-75 to finish second with 2-1 record and claim di Savannah Conference title, while Maktown Flyers dey recognised as Atlantic Conference regular-season champions.
