Rivers Hoopers struggled through a poor shooting night and succumbed to their first defeat of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs on Saturday, falling 67-74 to Aso Sky Hawks on the final day of round-robin action.
The result had no bearing on the postseason standings for the Port Harcourt side, who entered the contest having already secured their spot in the Final Four several days earlier. For the Sky Hawks, however, the win stamped their ticket to the championship round.
Aso Sky Hawks seized control early, taking a 24-15 lead in the opening quarter. The KingsMen battled back to claim the second period 24-21, but a cold shooting night ultimately doomed Hoopers’ bid for a clean sweep of the playoffs.
Rivers Hoopers struggled from long range, converting just 5 of 28 attempts (17.8%) from beyond the arc, while also being out-rebounded 49-41 by a physical Sky Hawks front court.
Despite the perimeter struggles, vice-captain Onyebuchi Nwaiwu produced a standout performance, recording a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Nikolaos Okekuoyen, Peter Olisemeka, and Anaiye Johnson chipped in 8 points apiece.
Rivers Hoopers head coach Ogoh Odaudu brushed off the setback, attributing the result to an off-night rather than structural issues.
“We were just off tonight. We didn’t play our usual basketball,” Odaudu said after the game. “We didn’t play as well as we usually do, and we lost by seven points, so it was just one of those days where nothing seemed to work for you. Nothing to be alarmed about.”
“Our major aim in the tournament was to qualify for the Final Four, which we had done as far back as three or four days ago,” Odaudu added. “So all these were just an opportunity for us to get better. And trust me, whether we lost it or not, I think we got better.”
With seven gruelling games played in seven consecutive days, the teams will now take a breather before regrouping for the season-ending Final Four tournament to crown the 2026 NPBL champions.
Odaudu emphasized that immediate physical recovery will be the priority before tactical preparations resume.
“The first week is going to be a week of rest. These people are not machines. They’ve played back-to-back games for seven days,” Odaudu noted. “We’re going to let them recover. But it’s not rest for us [coaches] because we have to start thinking about all the things we are going to do at practice. Second and third weeks, we are going to be practising full-time and putting in work.”
Center Peter Olisemeka echoed his coach’s thoughts on the physical demands of the playoff schedule and looked ahead to the final stretch of the season.
“It’s definitely not normal to play seven games in seven days,” Olisemeka said. “It’s really physical. Players are fatigued… But okay, it goes both ways. All the games are extra physical, so it’s been really challenging. Congratulations to the team that won. We’re looking forward to the Final Four. That’s where the main aim will be, top of the table. So we have to keep going from there.”
