Rivers Hoopers, 2026 NPBL Champions are celebrating their return to the top of Nigerian basketball after winning the title, and the emotions around the KingsMen’s triumph have continued to pour out after their successful Final Four campaign.
The Port Harcourt side sealed their seventh NPBL championship with an unbeaten run, securing the crown with a game to spare before finishing the tournament with a dramatic 92–90 overtime victory over Maktown Flyers, na weytin Hitvibz dey yan be dat.
The title also earned the KingsMen a return to the Basketball Africa League (BAL) in 2027.
Rivers Hoopers 2026 NPBL champions: Abada reveals why he joined the KingsMen
For Omar Abada, the decision to join Rivers Hoopers for the decisive stage of the NPBL season was an easy one.
The Tunisian point guard explained that he was attracted by the ambition of the project and the team’s determination to win the championship.
“It didn’t take a lot of time to think about it. I was motivated by the project. The team wants to win the title, and I play basketball to win, so I really answered the request and came to help the team.”
Abada, who joined the Hoopers ahead of the Final Eight, played an important role as the KingsMen went on to reclaim the domestic crown. He was also named among the NPBL Final Five alongside Abel Offia and Peter Olisemeka.
Beyond winning the trophy, however, the experience of playing in Nigeria left a strong impression on the experienced guard.
He praised the supporters for the reception they gave him and said the passion around basketball in Port Harcourt was something he greatly appreciated.
“The fans are amazing. The energy is very good. Everybody here loves basketball.”
Abada added that he was grateful for the warm welcome and happy to have shared the court with the group that delivered the championship.
“I’m very happy. It was a great experience. I really enjoyed my time in Nigeria,” he said.
Rivers Hoopers 2026 NPBL champions set sights on BAL return
Peter Olisemeka’s celebration carried a more personal dimension, with the forward reflecting on a difficult season away from the basketball court while also looking ahead to the KingsMen’s continental challenge.
Olisemeka began by remembering Musab Ibrahim before turning his attention to what the NPBL championship means for the franchise.
“To be honest, I want to say it’s been a very challenging season for me personally. This last thing, I want to say: rest in peace, Musab Ibrahim. We miss you and everything.”
The title has now given the KingsMen another opportunity to compete on the African stage, and Olisemeka is already thinking about what comes next.
“It will be a great organisation and great play. I’m looking forward to it.”
The experienced Nigerian also stressed his desire to represent the country whenever the opportunity comes, while calling for early preparations ahead of the 2027 BAL campaign.
“We could start building early, and hopefully we bring and represent Nigeria. I always use any opportunity to represent Nigeria.”
For Nikolaos Okekuoyen, the Nigerian experience was equally memorable.
The player explained that his love for challenges and opportunities convinced him to accept the chance to play for the Port Harcourt outfit.
“I’m a person that loves challenges, and I love opportunities. I play basketball to explore the world and go to places, and basketball brought me back to Nigeria.”
Okekuoyen said he was happy to have accepted the opportunity and described being part of the Hoopers’ championship-winning campaign as a huge blessing.
The fans also left a lasting impression on him.
“The fans are amazing; I love the music, I love the energy everywhere, the kids love me, the people love me, and they show me love.”
He went on to describe the supporters as the best he has experienced in Nigeria so far.
Odaudu praises Rivers Hoopers resilience against Maktown Flyers
Head coach Ogoh Odaudu had already seen his team secure the NPBL championship before the final game, but the coach wanted his players to complete the Final Four without a defeat.
That meant another difficult test against defending champions Maktown Flyers, the same side that had beaten the Hoopers 74–72 in last season’s championship game. The KingsMen eventually prevailed 92–90 in overtime to complete an unbeaten Final Four campaign.
Odaudu admitted that he expected another difficult contest and praised his players for remaining disciplined after falling behind.
“I knew it was not going to be an easy game. Like I said before in numerous interviews, there was no game in this tournament that was a pushover.”
The coach’s message was simple: keep pushing.
“All I needed to do was to tell the players to keep pushing. Yes, we’ve won, but we wanted to end in a slate.”
The Hoopers responded with the resilience their coach demanded, eventually edging the Flyers in overtime.
“So we stayed disciplined, we fought back, we were resilient and eventually got the win.”
For Odaudu, the contest was more than just another fixture after the title had already been secured.
“It was a very interesting game. So far as I was concerned, this is the best game of the Final Four.”
Offia and Ozaka look ahead after Rivers Hoopers’ seventh NPBL title
The celebrations also come with bigger ambitions for the KingsMen.
Abel Offia, who was recognised as the NPBL Most Valuable Player after an outstanding Final Four campaign, has already turned his attention towards the 2027 BAL.
He also expressed his appreciation to the people of Rivers State for their support throughout the championship campaign.
Ifie Ozaka, meanwhile, praised the collective effort behind the championship and highlighted the team’s performance throughout the Final Four as the foundation for their success.
Now, the focus shifts from domestic glory to Africa.
The NPBL title has secured Nigeria’s place for the KingsMen in the 2027 BAL, giving the Port Harcourt club another opportunity to compete against the continent’s leading basketball teams.
For a team that missed out on the NPBL crown last season after a narrow defeat, the response has been emphatic: seven-time champions, unbeaten in the Final Four and heading back to the BAL.
The next challenge will be turning that domestic success into another memorable continental campaign.
Last Updated on September 26, 2026 2:00 pm by Hitvibz Media
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