Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu and Most Valuable Player Abel Offia have set the newly crowned national champions’ sights on the Basketball Africa League (BAL), with Offia saying the team wants to reach the playoffs first.
The pair spoke after the KingsMen beat outgoing champions Maktown Flyers 92-90 in overtime on Tuesday, on Day Three of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Final Four in Port Harcourt.
‘I feel very excited to be heading back to the BAL with the same team,’ Offia said. ‘That speaks volumes about Rivers Hoopers as an organisation. We’ll try to do something different this time. We want to reach the playoffs first and see how far we can go.’
Odaudu said the title had restored the club’s standing and secured Nigeria’s lone ticket back to the continental stage.
‘We’re very happy,’ Odaudu said. ‘This was exactly what we wanted to do-reclaim our rightful position, and we did that. I’m excited that we’re back at the Basketball Africa League, which is the biggest stage in African club basketball.’
Offia also credited the home crowd for the second-half comeback. ‘The fans actually helped us even when we were down by 12 points-they kept cheering for us,’ he said.
The Hoopers had already sealed the title on Monday, and the Flyers were out of podium contention. Even so, pride fuelled an end-to-end contest. Maktown had snatched the 2025 championship on the Hoopers’ home floor in a 74-72 heartbreaker last year.
Maktown led 47-38 at halftime as they sought to avoid leaving the Final Four winless. The hosts then outscored them 25-16 in the third quarter to level the game, which finished 80-80 at the end of regulation.
Maktown edged ahead early in overtime, but Offia scored 7 of his 14 points in the extra period. He sank a jumper to tie the game with under 60 seconds left, then stole the ball at midcourt and finished the decisive layup.
Peter Olisemeka posted a double-double of 16 points and 18 rebounds, and Tunisian guard Omar Abada added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Victor Sunday scored 12 points, Buchi Nwaiwu had 11 points and 6 rebounds, and John Idoga finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Offia was named NPBL MVP at the post-game awards, joined on the All-Star Five by Olisemeka and Abada.
In the day’s earlier fixture, Aso Sky Hawks ended a debut league season by beating Gboko City Chiefs 80-75. They finished second with a 2-1 record and took the Savannah Conference title. Maktown Flyers were recognised as Atlantic Conference regular-season champions.