Rivers Hoopers kept their momentum going in Phase Two of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League, extending their winning run to four games with an 82-62 triumph over Kwara Falcons at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.
Quick facts
- Rivers Hoopers beat Kwara Falcons 82-62 in Phase Two of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League.
- The win took Rivers’ streak to four straight victories.
- Rivers started with a 10-0 run and led 18-17 after the first quarter.
- Rivers won the second quarter 24-15 and led by eight at halftime.
- They took the third quarter 21-10 before finishing strong in the final period (20-19).
- John Idoga topped the scoring with 21 points.
- Victor Sunday added 14, while Chinedu Nwaogu contributed 12.
Rivers made their intentions clear early, launching into the contest with a 10-point burst to nothing. Kwara Falcons then steadied the ship and edged ahead to close the opening quarter with a slim 18-17 advantage.
The KingsMen responded decisively in the second period, firing a 13-2 surge to take control. During that stretch, John Idoga and Victor Sunday combined for 16 straight points, helping Rivers outscore Kwara 24-15 and carry an eight-point cushion into halftime.
After the break, Rivers tightened their grip further. They dominated the third quarter 21-10, then managed the closing stages by winning the final period 20-19 to secure the comfortable 20-point victory.
Idoga finished as the leading scorer on the day with 21 points, matching his output from the previous match against Hoops & Read. The small forward powered Rivers early with the team’s first eight points, reached 17 by the half, and praised the collective effort behind his tally.
“It all comes down to teamwork,” Idoga said. “We all came out to win and play our best basketball. Without my teammates, I wouldn’t have scored as many points as I did. Credit goes to them for setting screens, delivering timely passes, and covering up my lapses.”
Sunday supplied 14 points, while Chinedu Nwaogu contributed 12, including a late three-pointer that came a day after his birthday. Anaiye Johnson and Buchi Vincent added nine points each, and Rivers knocked down six three-pointers on the night.
Rivers still managed the win despite missing key figures. Abel Offia was sidelined with illness, while captain Victor Koko was ruled out due to a back injury.
Coach’s message on resilience and spacing
Assistant coach Victor James highlighted the group’s resilience as the fixtures pile up. With four consecutive games already in the legs, he said fatigue is starting to become a factor, but the team’s effort and cohesion remained the difference.
“I was pleased with the team effort,” James said. “We have played four straight games, and fatigue is beginning to set in. But I liked the fact that we worked together as a team with the right effort, pushing ourselves to make sure we got this win.”
James also pointed to the in-game changes he made to keep Rivers’ offense moving. He said the team sometimes struggled to execute because too many players were clustering in the lane, forcing him to stress the need for spacing to open driving lanes and create opportunities for extra passes.
“There were some important adjustments I had to give to the players during the game, especially on defense and offense,” James said. “At times we struggled to execute because we had too many players clustering in the lane. I had to make them understand that we needed to space out to allow easy access for driving and making extra passes.”
Rivers will turn their attention to their next Phase Two outing against fellow Rivers State club Athletes 4 Peace today. James said he expects Rivers to bring the same game plan but with improved composure, aiming to make the most of their experience in the derby.
“We are going to approach the game the same way, but I think we will be more composed,” James said. “Athletes 4 Peace are a good team, but they are largely inexperienced. We have talented, experienced players, and we plan to leverage that advantage.”
