ABADA MAKES DEBUT IN THE NIGERIAN LEAGUE WHILE RIVERS HOOPERS TELL THEMSELVES BY OVERCOMING THE HOOPS AND WORK TO KEEP THE 2026 NPBL PLAYOFF RECORD UNBEATEN

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The Rivers Hoopers recovered from a slow start and steadfast defensive pressure to defeat Hoops & Read 68-58 on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten streak to three games on day three of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) playoffs.

In what was the third meeting for both teams this year, the six-time Nigerian champions found themselves in trouble from the start as Hoops & Read took an 18-7 lead midway through the first quarter, thanks to aggressive ball pressure and persistent zone defense. Hoops & Read took a 23-19 lead in the second quarter before the KingsMen rallied to cut the deficit to 38-36 at halftime.

The hosts turned the momentum around in the second half by increasing their defensive intensity, outscoring Hoops & Read 21-12 in the third quarter and taking a seven-point lead into the final period. The Hoopers stretched their lead to 12 points midway through the fourth quarter while holding Hoops & Read to just eight points in the final frame to wrap up the win.

“Like I said yesterday, there is no easy game,” Rivers Hoopers coach Ogoh Odaudu said after the game. “We knew from what they were doing in the other games that we were going to see a zone defense everywhere, and we didn’t work on it very much. But fortunately, we overcame that and started scoring in the third and fourth quarters.”

Onyebuchi Nwaiwu led the Hoopers in scoring with 13 points, while John Idoga added 9 points, providing timely buckets in key moments. Tunisian national team point guard Omar Abada made his debut for the team, scoring 9 points on three 3-pointers and recording 5 assists in 21 minutes of action, wowing the crowd. Inside, Peter Olisemeka totaled 7 points and 8 rebounds, while Samuel Sani collected 7 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Despite being outrebounded for the first time in three games (50-42), the Hoopers drew vital energy from their bench, which contributed 27 points after switching defense.

“We had to step it up on defense because we were playing terrible defense and that was what was affecting us on offense,” Odaudu noted midway through the game. “Once we started making stops, I knew we were going to be fine. By the end of the half, when we got the number down to single digits, I knew it was just a matter of time.”

Odaudu also provided updates on player management, noting that big man Nikolaos Okekuoyen remained out for strategic reasons due to his high pace, while Raphiael Putney was rested after having a minor back problem, with both expected to play a significant role on Wednesday when the KingsMen take on Gboko City Chiefs.

The other matches on the fourth day of the 2026 NPBL playoffs are as follows;

Circles and Laws vs. 313 Warriors (12:00)

Maktown Flyers vs Kano Pillars (2pm)

Lagos Raptors-Aso Sky Hawks (4pm)

All matches will be played at the Basket Stadium, 59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Municipality, Rivers State.