Rivers Hoopers unleashed a commanding 26-8 surge in the third quarter to erase a four-point deficit at the break and eventually cruise to a 74-61 win over the Maktown Flyers in Game Six of the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Phase Two on Thursday.
The triumph was delivered at the Indoor Hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu, where Rivers Hoopers—six-time Nigerian champions—handed the title holders their first defeat of the 2026 season. It also marked the latest chapter in a tight rivalry between the clubs, with this the first matchup since Maktown had beaten Hoopers by two points to lift the 2025 NPBL crown.
After falling behind at halftime, the KingsMen flipped the contest in the third period, outscoring Maktown 26-8 to grab control. From there, they managed the game well, keeping their opponents at a manageable distance for the remainder of the contest.
Rivers Hoopers guard Duro-Ladipo Olatoye, who finished with 12 points, explained that the response started with a clear rethink from the previous outing. “We had to go back to the drawing board,” he said. “We understood that [the previous game] was just one of those games where we weren’t making our shots, so we came out hot today, and it worked for us.”
John Idoga topped Rivers Hoopers’ scoring with 17 points, while Abel Offia and Victor Sunday added 11 and 10 points respectively.
Interim head coach Ronald Alalibo pointed to halftime corrections as the key factor behind the turnaround after a slow second quarter. “During the first-half break, I instructed the players to stick to our structure and style of play,” Alalibo said. “They stuck to the plan, and it worked.
“We tried our best to push ourselves because we’re fatigued both physically and mentally, and it’s affecting the players’ movement and decision-making. It’s not easy playing back-to-back games with such intensity.”
With the win, the KingsMen close their Phase Two campaign today against Lagos Raptors. Rivers Hoopers hold a 2-0 edge in the season series, including a 77-76 success in Ibadan during Phase One that was decided by two free throws in the final second.
Olatoye, who was involved in that dramatic finish, believes Friday’s matchup will demand a sharper response despite the lingering tiredness. “Everyone has played the same amount of games here in Enugu, so fatigue will be an issue for both sides,” he said. “But having met this opponent before, we’ve spoken about the game and hope to come out victorious.”
Alalibo, meanwhile, urged his team to avoid any complacency even though Hoopers have remained unbeaten against their next opponents. “We’ll approach the game with the same mentality, trying to correct our mistakes and give nothing away,” he said. “Knowing that we only beat them narrowly during our last meeting in Ibadan, we don’t want to take any chances. We will try to get our acts together and close out the game early.”
