Rivers Hoopers Open Title Defence Against Hoops & Read As NBPL Final Eight Tips Off

By Ernest Victor | 2 min read | Naijanews | 6 hrs ago | 400 views

The stage is set in Port Harcourt as defending champions Rivers Hoopers begin their campaign for a third straight Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) title today against Hoops & Read.

All roads lead to the indoor sports hall of the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, where the best eight teams in the country will battle it out for the 2025 crown. The Hoopers are going into the contest with the hope of keeping their unbeaten run intact and extending their dominance in Nigerian basketball.

Sunday’s technical meeting confirmed that the KingsMen, as they are fondly called, will face Hoops & Read in the headline clash of opening day. Both sides know each other well, having met several times in recent seasons. However, the Hoopers have had the upper hand, winning their last three encounters, including a 67-58 victory earlier this year during the Inter-Group Phase.

Today’s matchup tips off at 4 p.m., and fans are already anticipating fireworks between two of the league’s most entertaining teams.

The Port Harcourt side will be looking to repeat last year’s heroics when they crushed Hoops & Read 71-54 in the final to claim their sixth league title. The KingsMen also went through the entire 2024 season with a perfect record, winning all 12 games from the conference stage to the playoffs.

Source: Naijanews