Isaiah Williams scored nineteen (19) points, including five (5) out of seven threes, as reigning champions Rivers Hoopers put their narrow loss to Lagos Legends behind them by recording an 86-83 victory over Nile University Spartans on day six of the Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final Eight Playoffs on Saturday night.
Following defeat to Lagos Legends in overtime on Friday, Peter Olisemeka said the KingsMen would look to regroup and come back stronger, and the team put up a composed performance to see off a tenacious Nile University team.
The game opened with explosive shooting from range and end-to-end action as both teams looked to rebound from their respective losses on day five of the Final Eight Playoffs (Nile lost to Gboko City Chiefs on day five) and produced the highest-scoring quarter at the 2025 NPBL Final Eight Playoffs as Nile University took a slim 29-28 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Rivers Hoopers took control of proceedings in the second quarter, with Isaiah Williams particularly instrumental as he scored ten of his team-leading nineteen points to ensure the hosts went into the break with a seven-point advantage at 49-42.
Despite a late push from the Spartans, the KingsMen took full charge of the game and never trailed again and protected their lead to earn a fifth win from six games at the Final Eight Playoffs and returned to the top of the standings.
Rivers Hoopers Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu was pleased with his team’s execution of their game plan.
“Yes! I am very pleased because in the previous games we lost leads like that. But today they (the players) were very composed, and we were doing the things that we were supposed to do. We knew when to slow the ball down, we knew when to push it, and you could see that they were making many extra passes today. So, it is something I’m really pleased with, and I hope we’re going to continue playing like this and close out games strongly.”
Olisemeka chipped in with nine (9) points and six (6) rebounds; Mustapha Oyebanji and Kelvin Amayo also had nine (9) points each, while John Idoga put up ten (10) points, and Buchi Nwaiwu contributed eight (8) points along with twelve (12) rebounds and five (5) steals.
Nwaiwu and Idoga also shot one hundred per cent from the free throw line.
Having come through tough battles against lesser fancied sides, Odaudu also acknowledged the growing level of competition in the NPBL.
“We’re happy with the win, but like I’ve always said and will keep saying, the level of basketball [in Nigeria] has gone up. All the teams have risen up. There’s no such thing as coming to blow out any other team again. It’s not a situation where you can predict anything. All the teams are equal to the task, and on any day that you do not step up, you’re going to get surprised.
The Rivers Hoopers bench contributed thirty-two (32) points during the KingsMen’s victory over Nile University Spartans, and with qualification for the Final Four secured, Odaudu said he expects to see them feature prominently in the team’s final game at the Playoffs.
“We’re going to see a lot of them tomorrow. We’re not taking anything away from Kwara Falcons; we’ve played and beaten them a couple of times. But this time around we’re still going to make sure that we finish strong. But of course the people on the bench are going to get some minutes tomorrow, so we’re going to see a different mix of people on the court.”
Up next, Rivers Hoopers will play against Kwara Falcons (the only team yet to win a game at this year’s Playoffs) by 5pm on Sunday, 2nd November, 2025.
Day 7 – Sunday, 2nd November
11:00am: Hoops & Read vs Gboko City Chiefs
1:00pm: Nigeria Customs vs Kano Pillars
3:00pm: Nile University vs Lagos Legends
5:00pm: Rivers Hoopers vs Kwara Falcons
