Idoga Shines as Rivers Hoopers Extend Winning Streak in NPBL

Rivers Hoopers continued their impressive run in Phase Two of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL), defeating Kwara Falcons 82-62 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium to secure their fourth consecutive victory.

The KingsMen started strongly with a 10-0 run, but Kwara Falcons rallied to edge the first quarter 18-17.

Rivers responded with a dominant second period, outscoring Kwara 24-15 thanks to a 13-2 burst led by John Idoga and Victor Sunday, who combined for 16 straight points.

The Hoopers carried an eight-point lead into halftime and tightened their grip after the break, winning the third quarter 21-10 before closing out the final period 20-19.

Idoga was the standout performer, scoring 21 points to match his tally from the previous game against Hoops & Read. The small forward sparked the offense early, netting his team’s first eight points and finishing the first half with 17.

‘It all comes down to teamwork,’ Idoga said. ‘We all came out to win and play our best basketball. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t have scored as many points as I did. Credit goes to them for setting screens, delivering timely passes, and covering up my lapses.’

Sunday added 14 points, while Chinedu Nwaogu contributed 12, including a late three-pointer on his birthday. Anaiye Johnson and Buchi Vincent chipped in nine points apiece, with Rivers Hoopers sinking six three-pointers overall.

The team overcame the absence of Abel Offia, sidelined with illness, and captain Victor Koko, who missed out due to a back injury.

Assistant coach Victor James praised the squad’s resilience amid a demanding schedule.

‘We have played four straight games, and fatigue is beginning to set in. But I liked the fact that we worked together as a team with the right effort, pushing ourselves to make sure we got this win,’ he said.

James also highlighted tactical adjustments during the game, particularly on spacing and execution.

‘At times we struggled to execute because we had too many players clustering in the lane. I had to make them understand that we needed to space out to allow easy access for driving and making extra passes.’

Looking ahead, Rivers Hoopers will face Athletes 4 Peace in their fifth game of Phase Two on Wednesday.