Reigning champions Rivers Hoopers capped off their 2025 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Final Eight campaign with a statement win on Monday, defeating Kwara Falcons 83–69, powered by a dominant all-round display from Kelvin Amayo.
Fresh off a fitness-related absence in the loss to Lagos Legends, Amayo returned with purpose—dropping 17 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds—to remind the league why he is the reigning NPBL Finals MVP and the franchise’s leading postseason performer.
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Despite entering the contest winless and already mathematically eliminated, 2022 champions Kwara Falcons came out swinging, taking the first quarter 19–16. But once the Hoopers found rhythm early in the second quarter, the script flipped swiftly.
A clutch deep-range equaliser from Mustapha Oyebanji, followed by a three-point play from Peter Olisemeka, ignited a scoring surge that the Falcons never recovered from. Rivers Hoopers went into halftime with an 11-point cushion (45–34), and despite a brief third-quarter push that trimmed the gap to seven (63–56), the champions closed out the affair in cruise control.
Beyond Amayo’s heroics, Rivers Hoopers showcased their depth—four players hit double figures and the bench contributed a decisive 43 points. Oyebanji delivered 14 points with four 3-pointers, Malik Miller added 13 points and 7 rebounds, while Buchi Nwaiwu posted 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Head Coach Ogoh Odaudu praised his side for hitting their primary objective—booking a Final Four ticket—but issued a corporate-style call-to-action on defensive accountability.
“We’re happy we made the Final Four; that was our target right from the beginning. But it’s not over. We’ll rest, review and fix the areas that weren’t good enough. Our defensive standards must rise—rebounding, boxing out, help defense—those are non-negotiables for the Final Four,” Odaudu stated.
The Final Four now sets the stage for a blockbuster showdown among the nation’s top contenders—Rivers Hoopers, Lagos Legends, Gboko City Chiefs, and Nigeria Customs—with the KingsMen on a mission to retain their title for a second straight year.
Amayo, who joined the squad late, assured fans that his best version is yet to come.
“I came in the day before the Final Eight, so we had a plan to ease me in. Every day I felt sharper, and today I pushed even more. With two more weeks of preparation, expect a bigger show at the Final Four,” he promised.
The 2025 NPBL Final Four runs 20–24 November in a round-robin format, with each team facing the other three—a pressure-cooker format where consistency and depth will separate champions from contenders.
Rivers Hoopers may not have been flawless in the Final Eight, but with their offensive engine roaring again and their MVP warming up at the right time, the champions are sending a clear message: the road to the NPBL throne still runs through Port Harcourt.
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