Rivers Hoopers Bring Back Peter Olisemeka For 2026 NPBL Playoffs
Rivers Hoopers have strengthened their squad ahead of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) playoffs with the return of fan favourite Peter Olisemeka.
The 6-foot-9 centre rejoins the Port Harcourt-based six-time Nigerian champions as they prepare to host the eight-team playoffs from August 29 to September 6 at the Basketball Stadium on Niger Street, Rivers State.
His arrival follows the recent additions of Tunisian point guard Omar Abada and Greek-Nigerian big man Nikolaos Okekuoyen.
Olisemeka is no stranger to the Hoopers, having played a key role in the club’s historic continental campaigns. He was instrumental in their remarkable third-place finish at the 2024 Basketball Africa League (BAL) in Kigali, the best-ever finish by a Nigerian club in the competition.
During that 2024 campaign, Olisemeka averaged a double-double of 10.0 points and 11.7 rebounds over nine games. He followed that with averages of 8.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game during the Hoopers’ 2025 BAL campaign.
The experienced big man also has a championship-winning pedigree in Europe, having won the Dutch title with ZZ Leiden and featured in the FIBA Europe Cup. He also led Bulgaria’s Academic Plovdiv in rebounding with 11.8 rebounds per game during a standout season.
Olisemeka was part of the Rivers Hoopers team that won the NPBL title in 2024 and will be hoping to help the KingsMen reclaim domestic supremacy after they finished runners-up to Lagos Legends (Maktown Flyers) in last year’s championship decider in Port Harcourt.
The 2026 NPBL playoffs will feature eight teams in a round-robin format, with official arrivals and technical meetings scheduled for August 29. Competitive action is set to tip off on August 30.
