Rivers Hoopers Gear Up for Redemption As NPBL Season Tips Off

Six-time Nigerian basketball champions, Rivers Hoopers, have begun intensive preparations for the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) season, set to tip off on May 16th. The “KingsMen” are eyeing redemption after a heartbreaking loss in last season’s final.

The 2026 NPBL season, officially confirmed by the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) and the League Management Company (LMC), will feature twenty teams divided into two conferences, Atlantic and Savannah. Rivers Hoopers have been placed in Group A of the Atlantic Conference, where they will face Lagos-based Comets BC, Hoops & Read, Raptors BC, and DAM Confluence Giants. Their group stage matches are scheduled for May 16-26 in Ibadan.

Despite a condensed preparation window due to the recent release of the league calendar, the atmosphere in the team’s camp is described as “intense.” Assistant coach Wilkinson Suobo noted the quick assembly of the roster, stating, “The preparation is intense. Some of the players are coming a little bit late because the league board just released the league timetable. It was surprising, as we did not expect the league to start off now, so we began assembling our players on short notice.”

Suobo also revealed that the Hoopers’ management has been active in the transfer market, bolstering the squad with new talent. “We are very ready,” Suobo emphasized. “All the players are intact, and they’re really ready to play. We’ve gotten some new players to join us, and we know these additions will take us a long way to do very well in the league.”

The sting of last season’s narrow 74-72 defeat to Maktown Flyers in the championship game remains a powerful motivator. “We’ll come back very strongly because losing the final four last year came as a shock to us,” Suobo affirmed. “This year we don’t want to take chances, so we’re preparing very hard in order to come out in flying colors this term.”