Best Odds Center
best odds centre button
Click here!
Sport TV
watch live tv button
Click here!
to watch
Live FootBall
NPFL
Click here!
Live Scores
play watch Live Score button
Click here!

2026 NPBL: Hoops N’ Read losing run hits five

Posted : 04 September 2026

Hoops N’ Read’s search for a way out of their Nigeria Premier Basketball League slump suffered another setback as the Lagos-based club surrendered a promising position to lose 67-64 to Gboko City Chiefs.

The defeat was the fifth straight for Hoops N’ Read and came after the team had fought its way back from a 10-point halftime deficit to take control of the contest in the fourth quarter.

Gboko City Chiefs dominated the opening half, leading 43-33 at the interval, but Hoops N’ Read responded strongly after the break and built a double-digit advantage early in the final quarter.

However, the Lagos side struggled to close out the game when it mattered most, with a series of poor decisions in the closing minutes allowing the Chiefs to recover and snatch a three-point victory.

Head Coach Emeka Oputa admitted that his players failed to handle the pressure of the closing stages, despite an otherwise improved defensive performance.

“It boils down to inexperience. We did a lot of shuffling and had to change one or two things. Our defence was okay, but our decision-making in the last minutes was poor,” Oputa said.

The coach acknowledged that the prolonged losing streak is beginning to affect the team mentally, with the latest defeat adding to what has become a difficult period for the club.

“I am not satisfied. It’s a very sad week. The defeats are affecting my players psychologically,” he said.

Oputa pointed to the limited league experience within the squad as another challenge facing the team, revealing that several of his players are appearing in the NPBL for the first time.

“Most of our players are playing in the league for the first time, and that is actually playing out,” he added.

Despite the difficult spell, Oputa said the team would continue to make adjustments and fight for a turnaround as the campaign progresses.

“We will keep making adjustments, keep fighting, and we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Hoops N’ Read must now regroup quickly, with ending the five-game losing streak and restoring confidence becoming an immediate priority as the NPBL season continues.

 

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics

close button
Please fill captcha :