PORT HARCOURT (Nigeria) – The 2025 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) came to a dramatic close on Sunday, with Lagos Legends emerging as the new champions and putting an end to the dominance of perennial winners Rivers Hoopers. The Rivers Hoopers had been Nigeria’s sole representative in the Basketball Africa League since its inception, and had everything to play for on the final day of the NPBL. However, it was the Lagos Legends who had the last laugh, winning 74–72 against the former champions.
The Lagos Legends had previously defeated the Rivers Hoopers, ending their unbeaten run during the Final Eight in November, and were determined to change the landscape of Nigerian basketball by becoming champions. The game was intense from the outset, with both teams battling for every point and possession. The Legends drew first blood with a three-pointer, but the Rivers Hoopers rallied to win the first quarter 20–19.
The second quarter was also hard-fought, with neither team able to gain an advantage, and the teams went into halftime level at 32–32. The KingsMen, as the Rivers Hoopers are known by their fans, took a narrow three-point lead at the end of the third quarter, 20–17. In the fourth quarter, Lagos Legends’ resilience and explosiveness shone through. They outscored the Hoopers 25–22 in the final period to secure a dramatic 74–72 victory. Trailing by two points with 28 seconds remaining, the Legends displayed remarkable composure to score four unanswered points and secure victory on the Hoopers’ home court.
This result means that the Lagos Legends secured Nigeria’s sole spot in the Basketball Africa League. Patrick Abah was named the most valuable player. Tolani Buhari, Idoga John, Patrick Abah, Chingka Garba and Peter Olisemeka were named the top five players.
Gboko City Chiefs finish third
Earlier, Nigeria Customs faced off against Gboko City Chiefs in a match to determine who would win the bronze medal. The game began in a closely contested manner, with both teams going toe-to-toe in a first half littered with three-pointers. By the end of the first quarter, the Border Boys had made four out of six shots from behind the arc, while the Chiefs had made three out of five. In the second quarter, the Gboko City Chiefs demonstrated great persistence, grabbing and sinking second-chance points.
The score was tied at 45-45 at the end of the second quarter. For two minutes in the third quarter, neither side managed to score, despite several attempts. Favour Aboje and Oghenetega David put in solid shifts, rallying Nigeria Customs with 25 and 22 points respectively. Despite their best efforts, Nigeria Customs lost 80-77.
News extracted from: Lagos Legends are the 2025 Nigerial League champions | FIBA Basketball
