Rivers Hoopers win the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) championship after beating Gboko City Chiefs 88-76 in Port Harcourt. The win gives Rivers Hoopers a seventh league title, as reported by The Punch, which frames the result as the team “back where we belong.” Another report by the same outlet describes the championship as following an unbeaten run in the Final Four playoffs.
Premium Times adds additional context, saying the victory carries redemption after Rivers Hoopers’ loss in the previous season’s championship to the same opponents. It also reports that the title secures Rivers Hoopers’ return to the 2027 BAL (Basketball Africa League). While all outlets agree on the champions, the scoreline, and the venue, Premium Times places more emphasis on last season’s defeat and the continental qualification implication of the NPBL title.
