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Rivers Hoopers, Maktown Flyers Begin NPBL Final 8 With Wins

Posted : 31 August 2026

Rivers Hoopers and Maktown Flyers made winning starts to the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League Final 8 in Port Harcourt on Sunday. The opening day featured four games at the Basketball Stadium on Niger Street.

Six-time champions Rivers Hoopers defeated seven-time champions Kano Pillars 84-71 on home court. The KingsMen faced strong resistance for much of the contest before producing a decisive late push to secure the 13-point victory.

The result gives Rivers Hoopers an early boost in their bid to reclaim the NPBL crown. The Port Harcourt side lost the championship to Maktown Flyers last year and entered the Final 8 after strong performances in the first two phases of the 2026 campaign.

Maktown Flyers, the reigning champions, also needed extra time to overcome Gboko City Chiefs. The defending champions prevailed 90-84 after the teams finished level at the end of regulation.

The Flyers are seeking to defend the title they won last season while continuing their rapid rise in Nigerian basketball. The Makurdi-based club entered the 2026 league campaign as defending champions after acquiring the rights to Lagos Legends, who won the 2025 Nigerian league title.

Elsewhere, 313 Warriors marked their first Final 8 appearance with a convincing 79-57 victory over Lagos Raptors. The Warriors gradually increased their advantage and finished the game comfortably to claim an impressive debut win.

Aso Skyhawks also celebrated a successful Final 8 debut, defeating Hoops & Read 63-57. The Abuja side maintained its advantage during the closing stages to complete a six-point victory.

The eight-team competition features four qualifiers from the Atlantic Conference and four from the Savannah Conference. Rivers Hoopers, Maktown Flyers, Hoops & Read and Lagos Raptors represent the Atlantic Conference, while Aso Skyhawks, 313 Warriors, Gboko City Chiefs and Kano Pillars represent the Savannah Conference.

The Final 8 is being played in a round-robin format, with the competition running from August 30 to September 5. Port Harcourt is hosting the decisive phase for a fourth consecutive year after the Nigeria Basketball Federation adjusted the original schedule.

 

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