₦airaland Forum

Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will host the Playoffs and Final Four of the 2025 Nigeria Basketball Premier League( NPBL) season.

This much was contained in an official communique from the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), addressed to all clubs due to participate in the Playoffs, as well as other relevant stakeholders.

In the communiqué jointly signed by men's premier league chairman, Babatunde Ogunade, and NBBF Secretary General, Amina O. Amanchi, the League Management Committee revealed that it received – and subsequently approved – only one bid from Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club of Port Harcourt to host the Final Eight Playoffs and Final Four of the 2025 season. 

The latest development means Rivers State will serve as host for the final phase of the league for the third year running, having also hosted the 2023 and 2024 finals.

The Final Eight Playoffs will commence with the arrival of participating teams on October 26,2025, while match action will take place from October 27 to November 2, 2025, with teams expected to depart on November 3, 2025.

Games will be played in a round robin format, which will see all eight teams playing once against the other seven teams, with the top four teams qualifying for the Final Four.

The Final Four will run from November 20-24, 2025. 

All matches will be played at the Indoor Basketball Court, #59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township.

Recall that Rivers Hoopers are reigning NBPL champions and are gunning for a third straight title after claiming the championship on home soil in 2023 and 2024.

Reigning champions, Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club, will begin their 2025 Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) Playoffs (Final Eight) campaign against Hoops & Read.

Following a technical meeting between participating teams and league organisers, which held on Sunday, October 26 , 2025, it was resolvedb that the defending champions will continue their chase for a third straight league title by rekindling hostilities with last year's beaten finalists. 

Hoops & Read have emerged as contenders for the NBPL title in recent years but have fallen short against the KingsMen in competitive basketball, losing their last three meetings, with the most recent being a 67-58 loss at the start of this year's Inter-Group Phase.

The latest installment in what is now a growing rivalry is expected to tip off by 4pm on Monday, October 27, 2025.

The KingsMen, who are yet unbeaten through the 2025 NBPL season so far, will then navigate games against Kano Pillars, Nigeria Customs, Gboko City Chiefs, Lagos Legends, and Nile University Spartans before wrapping up proceedings against Kwara Falcons, respectively.



Below is the full schedule for all 2025 NBPL Playoffs (Final Eight) games. 

Day 1 - Monday, 27th October

10:00am: Lagos Legends vs Nigeria Customs

12:00pm: Nile University vs Kwara Falcons

2:00pm: Kano Pillars vs Gboko City Chiefs

4:00pm: Rivers Hoopers vs Hoops & Read

Day 2 - Tuesday, 28th October

10:00am: Kwara Falcons vs Lagos Legends

12:00pm: Nigeria Customs vs Gboko City Chiefs

2:00pm: Nile University vs Hoops & Read

4:00pm: Kano Pillars vs Rivers Hoopers

Day 3 - Wednesday, 29th October

10:00am: Kwara Falcons vs Hoops & Read

12:00pm: Lagos Legends vs Gboko City Chiefs

2:00pm: Nile University vs Kano Pillars

4:00pm: Rivers Hoopers vs Nigeria Customs

Day 4-Thursday, 30th October

10:00am: Kano Pillars vs Kwara Falcons

12:00pm: Nigeria Customs vs Nile University

2:00pm: Hoops & Read vs Lagos Legends

4:00pm: Gboko City Chiefs vs Rivers Hoopers

Day 5 - Friday, 31st October

10:00am: Kano Pillars vs Hoops & Read

12:00pm: Nile University vs Gboko City Chiefs

2:00pm: Kwara Falcons vs Nigeria Customs

4:00pm: Lagos Legends vs Rivers Hoopers

Day 6- Saturday, 1st November

10:00am: Nigeria Customs vs Hoops & Read

12:00pm: Gboko City Chiefs vs Kwara Falcons

2:00pm: Rivers Hoopers vs Nile University

4:00pm: Lagos Legends vs Kano Pillars

All games will be played at the Basketball Stadium, #59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township.

Port Harcourt to host 2025 basketball league finals — NBBF

20th October 2025

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has confirmed that Port Harcourt will host the finals of the 2025 Nigeria Men’s Premier Basketball League.

Babs Ogunade, the NBBF Vice President, disclosed this in a Monday statement issued by the federation’s Secretary, Amina Amanchi.

He said the NBBF had approved and awarded the hosting rights of the Final 8 and Final 4 to Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club of Port Harcourt.

According to him, the club has pledged to provide a standard venue, modern facilities, security, medical services, and live online streaming of matches.

Ogunade added that the club would also provide buses for teams, as well as financial support and accommodation subsidies for participating sides.

He announced that the Final 8 would hold from October 26 to November 3, with teams expected to arrive on October 26.

The Final 4, featuring the top four teams from the competition, is scheduled for November 20 to 23 at the same venue.

The NBBF is the governing body responsible for overseeing basketball operations, development, and competitions in Nigeria.

It regulates both domestic leagues — including the Men’s Premier League and Women’s League — as well as the national teams, the D’Tigers (men) and D’Tigress (women).
(NAN)

A day after receiving the hosting rights for the 2025 Nigeria Basketball Premier League (NBPL) Playoffs and Final Four, Rivers Hoopers Head Coach, Ogoh Odaudu, has warned that his players must be prepared to work hard to retain their title despite playing on home court.

The League Management Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) had on Monday,October 20, 2025, announced Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as host for the third (playoffs) and final phases (final four) of the 2025 NBPL season.

This means the Garden City will serve as host for the final phase of the league for the third year running, having also hosted the 2023 and 2024 finals, much to the delight of the award-winning coach of the Port Harcourt based basketball club,Rivers Hoppers.

"Everybody wants to play in front of their home crowd. You can see the atmosphere in the gym anytime we play here; it's electric. Even though we wanted to go out to have a taste of what it is outside, there was no other bid from elsewhere. "

"Well, [we'll do] anything to bring basketball to the doorstep of our fans right here. So we went for it and were granted [the hosting right], and we are happy about that." Coach Odaudu said.

With the latest development, expectations remain high among basketball enthusiasts for the defending champions to clinch the NBPL title at the end of the 2025 season, just as they did in 2023 and 2024 on home soil.

But the seasoned tactician, Odaudu, has warned that with the increased level of competition within the league, only hard work will deliver a third straight crown to the KingsMen.

The Playoffs (Final Eight) is scheduled for October 26, 2025, to November 3, 2025, during which period all eight teams will play once against the other seven teams in a round robin format, with the top

four teams qualifying for the Final Four, which will run from 20th to 24th November.  All matches will be played at the Indoor Basketball Stadium, #59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ej0irwaaOI?si=xqDWdFQ4KqP_NDVA

20 incredible years, so much to show for 🏆

We'll never get tired of watching Rivers Hoopers' trophy cabinet with admiration! 🏆💙

Can your team match this?

#TheKingsMen | #LetsGoHoopers🏀

20 incredible years, so much to show for 🏆

We'll never get tired of watching Rivers Hoopers' trophy cabinet with admiration! 🏆💙

Can your team match this? #TheKingsMen | #LetsGoHoopers🏀 pic.twitter.com/2Z1Bt66Hh4

— Rivers Hoopers (@RiversHoopers) October 13, 2025

Our success story is not a fluke. We have put in the work behind the scenes and it has pleased the Almighty God to crown our efforts with success and trophies.

Before 2009, we were a privately owned club that hosted the best camps in Nigeria, bringing in an NBA Hall of Fame the giants like Kano Pillars and built a structure that has eventually stood the test of time.

We have had our rough patches, very rough patches indeed. We were relegated in 2014 to Division 1. A lot of people don’t know that part of our history. But we fought and bounced back just immediately. We hosted and won the 2015 Division 1 competition in Port Harcourt. We have never been relegated again and will never be by God’s grace. Players have come and gone, the club remains

When we won our first and second league titles in 2011 & 2012 consecutively, outside ph and not with the influence of any man.

We have paid our dues. Six (6) Premier League titles down the line, we are still pushing. Like us or hate us, we aren’t stopping. We have built a structure and a machine that keeps grinding, and God will continually grant us success, because we aren’t beefing nobody, just putting in the work.

1!2!!3!!! HOOPERS!!!

Join us for the best of Nigerian Basketball as the Final 8 Playoffs dunks off in Port Harcourt tomorrow


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o80JZbh8j5Y?si=FQuHCMwwjv4R_bcA

Join us for the best of Nigerian Basketball as the Final 8 Playoffs dunks off in Port Harcourt tomorrow pic.twitter.com/sYSvQa89CG

— Ifie Ozaka (@IOzaka) October 26, 2025

naptu2:
My favourite teams of the 1980s and 1990s

Lagos Islanders, YMCA, Ebun Comets, NEPA, Niger Potters, Plateau Peaks, Kadda Stars and Oluyole Warriors

Are no longer here (apart from Kano Pillars).

naptu2:
My favourite teams of the 1980s and 1990s

Lagos Islanders, YMCA, Ebun Comets, NEPA, Niger Potters, Plateau Peaks, Kadda Stars and Oluyole Warriors

Are no longer here (apart from Kano Pillars).

correctguy101:
Ok...

Kick off for football and "tip off" for basketball... Who be the werey dem wey dey arrange all these things sef?

And whatever happened to just "NBF?"... They had to use the other B. NBbF no even sound well to this ancestor.

Wetin even concern this ancestor. It's my second sit at home in the East today.

But enjoyment no fit let Nnewi people sit at home as the name implies. Enjoyment centers go still bubble.

Lazy person like me, na this kind environment I like jhor ...

Shikena:
Genius, Nigerian Boxing Federation locked down NBF. Even the Badminton guys needed no internet in those days for basic research.

correctguy101:
Ah... See as this man knock me out.

Na night school we go na.... But they should all gerrarrahia.

Na my own I talk.

Shikena:
Hahahaha ok I see say you be true correct guy with your mature reply instead of the typical gbas gbos here 😄

donleo92:
This is one game I don't understand

I once played, and was told I drived...


Another person do am them no talk...

I bounce them talk say I suppose pass.


Like I just left


And entered my football ⚽ pitch

Mistersolar:
i don laugh heen

donleo92:
Na true my brother.

E tire me that day

Mistersolar:
shadel international high school 2005 omole phase 2 lagos,l...i left bball for same reason there