The stage is almost set for Nigeria’s biggest basketball showpiece, as the 2025 Nigerian Premier Basketball League gets into action on August 28. 

Rivers Hoopers, the kings Mens and defending champions, know the chase for back-to-back glory won’t be easy. The Port Harcourt side, fresh off their sixth league title, will once again carry the weight of being the team everyone wants to beat. Their 71–54 dismantling of Hoops & Read in last year’s final is still fresh in the memory, but so is the hunger of rivals determined to stop them.

This year’s league comes with four phases, from the group stage to the final four showdown. The competition is split between the Savannah and Atlantic Conferences, each boasting its own mix of heavyweights and dark horses.

In the Atlantic Conference, Rivers Hoopers have been paired with Delta Force, Oluyole Warriors, and Kwara Falcons in Group B. Over in Group A, Comets, Police Batons, Lagos Legends, and Hoops & Read will jostle for early dominance.

The Savannah Conference brings its own drama. Group A pits Nile University, Nigeria Customs, Gboko City Chiefs, and Correctional Service, while Group B features Kano Pillars, Plateau Peaks, Gombe Bulls, and Bauchi Nets.

The opening rounds will see each team play six home-and-away battles before the best from each group collide in a central venue for the Inter-Group stage. From there, only the top four from each conference will make the playoffs, with a knockout brawl to decide the Final Four. 

The final four consist of one round robin format with the team accruing the highest points tally crowned the 2025 Nigerian Premier Basketball League Champions.