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PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The Rivers Hoopers preserved their perfect record in the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) playoffs on Friday, with a measured 79-70 victory over the defending champions Maktown Flyers on day six.
The six-time league champions made an early statement, opening the game with an 11-0 lead and dominating the opening period 29-13. As Maktown battled to close the margin in each of the final three quarters, cutting the deficit to 44-41 at one point, the KingsMen consistently reasserted control to keep them at arm’s length.
The win extends the Rivers Hoopers’ flawless playoff run to 6-0 and hands the Maktown Flyers their first loss of the postseason. It also marks the Flyers’ second loss of the entire 2026 NPBL season, with both defeats coming at the hands of the KingsMen following an earlier 74-61 Hoopers victory in Phase Two.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be an easy game,” Rivers Hoopers coach Ogoh Odaudu said after the game. “We started well, but we started doing things we shouldn’t have done. They gave us a good fight, but I’m not very happy with my team… We should have finished the game by halftime, but we had to fight the whole game, and it took a toll on us knowing that we still have a game tomorrow.”
Abel Offia launched a balanced attack for the Hoopers with 14 points and 6 rebounds. Center Peter Olisemeka delivered a dominant home performance, posting a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Onyebuchi Nwaiwu added 12 points, while Victor Sunday scored 11. Point guard Omar Abada, Anaiye Johnson and Samuel Sani contributed 8 points each, while John Idoga pulled down 7 rebounds.
Odaudu attributed Maktown’s fourth-quarter surge to a lack of concentration by his team rather than tactical adjustments. “It’s a mental thing, and it’s common among baseball players,” Odaudu noted. “You start playing well and you think the game is over. Then, before you know it, the opponent starts recovering one point at a time… If we hadn’t been a well-disciplined team, if we hadn’t been mentally prepared, I think this game could have gone either way. But we made sure they didn’t get too close and end up pulling away.”
With a match against Aso Sky Hawks awaiting on the final day of the playoffs on Saturday, Odaudu reiterated his team’s desire to finish the phase pristine despite increasing physical demands.
“Well, that’s the plan,” Odaudu said of the prospect of a raid. “From what we see right now, there are a lot of obstacles and a lot of struggle. So we’ll see what happens. But the goal is to have a complete success, win seven out of seven, and that’s the plan.”
Other matches on Day Seven include;
Kano Pillars vs Hoops and Reading (2pm)
Lagos Raptors-Gboko City Chiefs (4pm)
313 Warriors vs. Maktown Flyers (6 p.m.)
