Rivers Hoopers Gear Up for 2026 NPBL Season

Rivers Hoopers have commenced intensive preparations for the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) season, which is officially scheduled to tip off on May 16. The league will feature 20 teams divided into two conferences, Atlantic and Savannah, and will unfold across four phases: group stage, home and away inter-group stage, round-robin playoffs, and finals.

Coach Wilkinson Suobo has expressed the urgency of assembling the team quickly due to the recent release of the league calendar, which caught them by surprise. The team is actively engaging in the transfer market to enhance their roster with fresh talent to complement the existing core players.

Suobo emphasized the importance of being ready after last season's heartbreak, where they narrowly lost the NPBL title to Maketown Flyers with a score of 74-72 in the championship game. The motivation for this season is redemption, as the team aims to return to the court stronger and more prepared.