Rivers Hoopers Bounce Back, Crush Comets 92-61 in 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League

Rivers Hoopers returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion, dismantling Comets BC 92-61 on Day Five of the ongoing 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Phase One.

The six-time Nigerian champions, nicknamed the KingsMen, rebounded strongly after their narrow defeat to Hoops & Read on Day Four, where they squandered a 14-point lead.

This time, interim head coach Ronald Alalibo saw his side deliver a composed and clinical performance, recording their fourth win in five games and a second 30+ point blowout of Comets this season.

Chinedu Nwaogu spearheaded the attack with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and three triples, while Abel Offia added 19 points, 5 rebounds, and five three-pointers. Together, the duo helped Hoopers sink 13 shots from deep.

Floor general Anaiye Johnson contributed 11 points and narrowly missed a double-double, while Duro-Ladipo Olatoye chipped in 12 points in an improved showing.

Off the bench, John Idoga added 8 points and praised the team’s defensive adjustments: ‘Today we stepped up our defense. We identified our mistakes from yesterday, and we were able to deal with them.’

Coach Alalibo hailed the resilience of his squad after losing captain Victor Koko to injury just 27 seconds into the game.

‘We’re built in a way that everyone is ready to fill in any empty space. If there’s a shortage in our playing personnel, we have to step up our game, and that’s what we did,’ he said.

The Hoopers steadily built their lead, stretching a 7-point first-quarter advantage (26–19) to 21 points at halftime (53-32), before closing out a dominant 31-point victory.

Up next, Rivers Hoopers face Raptors BC in their final Atlantic Conference Group A game. The KingsMen previously defeated Raptors 75–59 on Day Three, and Alalibo insists the team must maintain intensity: ‘Although we won today, there are a few things we still need to correct. So we keep working.’