Odaudu Celebrates Hoopers’ Redemption As KingsMen Reclaim NPBL Crown

Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu celebrated his team’s redemption after the KingsMen reclaimed the Nigeria Premier Basketball League title with an 88-76 victory over Gboko City Chiefs in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Hoopers’ triumph came a year after they suffered an agonising 74-72 defeat to Maktown Flyers in the 2025 championship game on home soil, and Odaudu admitted the memory of that heartbreak made Monday’s victory particularly satisfying.

“I’m really, really happy,” Odaudu said. “We had a heartbreak at home here last season, and we didn’t want thunder to strike in the same place twice.

“We put up a good fight, and right now I’m really happy for the boys, happy for the crowd, happy for Rivers State, and happy that we’re back where we’re supposed to be.”

Hoopers took control of the championship race on Day Two of the NPBL Final Four after Maktown Flyers suffered a 72-64 defeat to Aso Sky Hawks earlier in the day.

The victory over Gboko secured Hoopers’ seventh consecutive win over the Benue side and, more importantly, gave them an unassailable lead with Tuesday’s final game still to play.

Odaudu said his players were determined not to allow the contest to develop into another tense finish.

“We didn’t want to keep the game close and let it go down to the wire,” he said. “We wanted to blow them out and ensure that we had control of the game, and the players played it to perfection. I’m really, really proud of them today.”

Gboko led 19-18 at the end of the first quarter after overcoming an early Hoopers advantage, but a half-court buzzer-beater from Anaiye Johnson cut the Chiefs’ momentum and set the stage for Hoopers’ second-quarter surge.

Chinedu Nwaogu levelled the game at 21-21 with a three-pointer before drawing a foul and converting both free throws to put Hoopers ahead for good.

Abel Offia then buried a corner three to make it 32-27, with Hoopers extending their lead to 45-35 by halftime.

The KingsMen continued their assault from beyond the arc after the break, adding seven more three-pointers as they stretched the advantage to 21 points at 88-67 before easing through the closing minutes.

Tunisian playmaker Omar Abada led Hoopers with 18 points and three assists, shooting four of six from three-point range.

Peter Olisemeka added 14 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Offia contributed 14 points, six rebounds and four three-pointers.

Nwaogu scored 13 points off the bench, John Idoga added 10 and Buchi Nwaiwu contributed seven points and 11 rebounds.

The victory also secured Hoopers’ return to the Basketball Africa League in 2027, giving the newly crowned champions another continental campaign to look forward to.