Day Two of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs met all fan expectations, with Maktown Flyers, 313 Warriors, and Gboko City Chiefs achieving hard-fought victories, while hosts Rivers Hoopers overcame a shaky start to record a convincing 69-50 win over the Lagos Raptors.
The day’s action tipped off with a feisty contest between Kano Pillars and 313 Warriors. Pillars edged the opening quarter 15-12 and maintained a thin advantage as both sides kept going at it in a tightly contested match.
Armstrong Carl provided one of the highlights of the game, weaving through defenders before finishing with a sweet jump shot and sliding to the ground in celebration. With five minutes left in the second quarter, Kano Pillars held a narrow 24-23 lead and soon stretched it to 26-24.
Despite missing an open three-pointer earlier and showing his frustration, Yusuf Tanko responded when it mattered most, knocking down a crucial two-point basket. In a game decided by the finest of margins, 313 Warriors emerged with a dramatic 62-61 victory after Ibrahim Abdulkadir sank a game-winning buzzer beater.
Game two saw Maktown Flyers square off against Hoop & Read in another entertaining battle. Both teams came out with purpose, setting a fast pace from jumpball.
The momentum remained with Hoop & Read through much of the second quarter as they embarked on an impressive scoring run, stretching their advantage to 12 points, the largest lead of the game. However, Maktown Flyers experience came through as the defending champions showed resilience and composure, gradually working their way back into the contest before eventually doing enough to secure a hard-earned 72-70 victory.
The third game of the day featured Gboko City Chiefs and Aso Skyhawks, and it initially looked different from the first two in terms of competitiveness.
Aso Skyhawks got off to a bright start as Ibe Agu scored the opening basket before Oliver Hampton calmly converted two free throws. However, the Chiefs quickly found their rhythm. Tolani Buhari ignited the team with a crucial steal at midcourt, creating another scoring opportunity and sparking a run that would define the first half.
Gboko City’s intensity grew with every possession. Hampton got the spectators going agog with a thunderous slam dunk before adding a three-pointer, helping the Chiefs establish control amid a flurry of scoring.
With their offense clicking and their defense forcing mistakes, the Chiefs built a commanding advantage and carried a 51-32 lead into halftime.
But Aso Skyhawks came back revitalized. Strong defensive pressure and improved execution on offense helped them reduce the deficit to 62-53 by the end of the third quarter.
The comeback continued in the fourth. With 7:54 remaining, Aso had cut the deficit to just five points. Moments later, the Chiefs’ lead was down to 67-64. Chinbuo Chinedu then scored a vital two-point basket to make it 67-66, reducing the gap to a single point and raising the tension inside the arena.
With just over four minutes left to play, Aso completed the comeback and tied the game at 70-70, turning what had once looked like a comfortable Chiefs victory into another nail-biting finish, similar to the drama seen in the day’s earlier fixtures.
This time, however, Gboko City Chiefs held their nerve. Despite seeing their substantial lead disappear, they found the necessary plays in the closing moments to secure an 83-80 victory and cap off one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far.
The final game of the day saw six-time Nigerian champions Rivers Hoopers secure their second consecutive win of the playoffs with a convincing 69-50 triumph over the Lagos Raptors.
