Four Rivers Hoopers players have hailed the club’s seventh Nigeria Premier Basketball League title as a defining achievement after claiming their first NPBL crowns with the Port Harcourt side.
Eric Okechukwu, Chinedu Nwaogu, Tom Aroko and John Idoga were members of the Hoopers squad that secured the championship two weeks ago, a triumph that also booked the club’s place back in the Basketball Africa League.
The quartet played a part in Rivers Hoopers’ route to the title, beginning with the Phase One qualifiers in Ibadan and continuing through Phase Two in Enugu before the playoff and Finals stages.
Although Okechukwu and Aroko were not included in the playoff squad, both remained with the side and backed their teammates from the bench and sidelines. Idoga made his impact through defensive work and points around the basket, while Nwaogu, known as “Sniper” because of his perimeter shooting, added valuable scoring as a substitute.
Okechukwu said lifting the 2026 NPBL trophy fulfilled one of his major targets for the year. “Winning the 2026 NPBL title was among my biggest ambitions this year, and doing it with Rivers Hoopers is very meaningful,” he said. “I have competed in this league for many years and worked towards an occasion like this.”
He also believes the BAL opportunity gives the success added significance. “Getting the chance to represent Nigeria on a larger BAL platform makes it even more important. This is not the finish; it is another step forward,” Okechukwu added.
Aroko, who arrived from Kwara Falcons during the current campaign, said the championship represented far more than collecting silverware. “It is bigger than winning the league title. It is about the people around you: the teammates I have shared the floor with, the coaches and the special experience of playing for Port Harcourt,” he said.
Nwaogu said the triumph helped to erase the disappointment surrounding Rivers Hoopers’ defeat in the previous season’s title decider. “It hurt to lose the championship last season and, even though I was not part of the team at that time, I shared in their pain,” he said.
Idoga praised the combined contribution of the Nigerian-based players and the team’s foreign contingent. “My teammates, both the foreign players and us homies, all gave their one percent so that the team could remain strong,” he said.
