Rivers Hoopers Cruise Past 313 Warriors, Maintain Unbeaten NPBL Playoff Run

Rivers Hoopers continued their impressive run at the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs on Thursday, cruising past 313 Warriors 77-61 to remain unbeaten after five games in Port Harcourt.

The six-time Nigerian champions recovered from a fast start by the Warriors, who raced into a 7-0 lead and extended their advantage to 10-2 in the opening five minutes.

Hoopers responded with 10 unanswered points to briefly move ahead 12-10, although 313 Warriors finished the first quarter 18-17 in front. Rivers Hoopers then took control in the second quarter, turning a narrow 29-25 advantage midway through the period into a commanding 40-29 lead at halftime after an 11-4 run. Their defensive intensity remained decisive after the break as they forced 18 turnovers and converted them into 21 points.

Abel Offia led the scoring with 15 points, three rebounds and three steals, while vice-captain Onyebuchi Nwaiwu contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Chinedu Nwaogu added 10 points from the bench, while Nikolaos Okekuoyen and Peter Olisemeka scored nine points apiece, with Anaiye Johnson contributing eight in a balanced team performance.

Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu was pleased with the controlled nature of the victory, revealing that he deliberately rotated his squad with Friday’s crucial encounter against defending champions Maktown Flyers in mind.

‘I was happy with the way they played. We didn’t put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We kept the game easy,’ Odaudu said. ‘We wanted to get fresh legs ahead of tomorrow, so we didn’t try to do too much. Once the game was in control, we knew all we had to do was slow down. And that’s exactly what we did.’

Offia attributed the team’s unbeaten run to preparation and chemistry, saying the players had been studying their opponents closely and working on executing their coach’s instructions.

‘Before the game, we take time to analyse our opponents and see what they bring. We talk about it as a team, with our coach guiding us on movement and playing for each other. I think that’s what is helping us so far,’ he said.

Rivers Hoopers will now face fellow unbeaten side Maktown Flyers in what promises to be the biggest clash of Day Six, with Odaudu demanding greater discipline and improvement on the offensive glass.

‘Discipline. A lot of discipline,’ the coach said. ‘I want them to execute well. We need to push the ball a lot more. Opponents are hurting us on the offensive boards because we are not boxing out properly. Once we can limit them to one shot per possession, we will be fine.’

Other Day Six fixtures are Kano Pillars versus Hoops and Read at 12pm, Gboko City Chiefs versus Lagos Raptors at 2pm and Aso Sky Hawks versus 313 Warriors at 4pm. All games will be played at the Basketball Stadium in Port Harcourt.