Lagos Legends Basketball Club ended Rivers Hoopers’ bid for a historic third straight Nigeria Basketball Premier League title, edging the reigning champions 74–72 in a dramatic Final 4 decider in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Both sides entered the showdown with two wins apiece, knowing victory would secure not just the national crown but also the coveted ticket to the 2026 Basketball Africa League.

Legends who snapped Hoopers’ three-year unbeaten run with an 80–79 win in the Final Eight last month came out blazing, racing into an early advantage as the hosts chased the game for most of the opening quarter. Yet, Hoopers dug in and managed to steal the first quarter 20–19.

The intensity rose in the second quarter, with Lagos Legends refusing to back down, pushing hard to ensure both teams went into halftime level at 32–32.

Rivers Hoopers edged ahead again in the third quarter, taking a slim 52–49 lead, but the Lagos side were far from done. The final quarter turned into a battle of nerves: Legends tied the game at 61–61, snatched a one-point lead moments later, before Hoopers responded to make it 70–70 with 39 seconds left.

Hoopers added two more points, but the Lagos Legends produced the last, decisive push scoring four clutch points in the dying seconds to seal a memorable victory and deny the 2024 BAL bronze medallists a three-peat.

The win also means Lagos Legends have now defeated Hoopers twice in three meetings this season, with Hoopers’ only success an 89–70 win during the Inter-Group Phase.

Ultimately, Lagos Legends claimed the Final 4 crown and punched their ticket to the 2026 Basketball Africa League, ending Rivers Hoopers’ two-year run on the continental stage.