Idoga’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Rivers Hoopers to Fifth Straight NPBL Win

Rivers Hoopers extended their unbeaten streak in the Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Phase Two with a dramatic 50-47 victory over Athletes 4 Peace, sealed by a last-second three-pointer from John Idoga.

The indoor court at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium was on the brink of witnessing its first overtime of the tournament when Idoga received an inbound pass from Victor Sunday with less than two seconds remaining.

Under heavy defensive pressure, he fired from the corner to clinch the win and preserve the KingsMen’s flawless run.

The derby turned physical in the third quarter, with one Athletes 4 Peace player ejected after a technical and unsportsmanlike foul.

Rivers Hoopers also picked up a technical during the heated exchange. Despite trailing by 12 points earlier, Athletes 4 Peace mounted a fierce comeback, outscoring the Hoopers 16-4 in the final quarter to tie the game before Idoga’s decisive shot.

‘At that point, I knew it was make or break,’ Idoga said. ‘I asked Buchi Vincent to set up a screen for me to take the risk, and he did. I took the shot, and it went in.’

Idoga finished with 16 points, while Sunday added nine, the duo combining for half of their team’s total.

Interim head coach Ronald Alalibo, however, was critical of his side’s performance, describing it as complacent.

‘They looked down on their opponents, like they’d already won the game before stepping on the floor,’ he said. ‘We weren’t being smart, kept turning the ball over, and it showed the attitude with which we approached the game.’

Idoga acknowledged fatigue as a factor but promised a sharper display in their next outing.

‘I wasn’t moving properly on the floor today due to fatigue. But we’re coming all out tomorrow, as we’ve already spoken to ourselves about how well we need to play.’

The Hoopers now turn their attention to defending champions Maktown Flyers, another unbeaten side, in Thursday’s highly anticipated rematch of the 2025 NPBL finals, which the Flyers edged by two points.

Coach Alalibo emphasized the need for improvement ahead of the clash.

‘I believe they’ll learn from their mistakes. We’ll go back to the drawing board and correct those errors, knowing that Maktown Flyers are more experienced, more deliberate, and more disciplined than the other teams we’ve played so far.’