Rivers Hoopers maintained their impressive run in the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Phase Two with a commanding 82-62 victory over Kwara Falcons on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, extending their winning streak to four consecutive games.

Despite racing into the contest with a blistering 10-0 start, the KingsMen found themselves trailing 18-17 at the end of the opening quarter after Kwara Falcons mounted a spirited comeback.

Rivers Hoopers quickly regained control in the second period, opening with a dominant 13-2 run as John Idoga and Victor Sunday combined for 16 unanswered points to ignite the offense. The hosts outscored Kwara Falcons 24-15 in the quarter to carry an eight-point advantage into halftime.

The Port Harcourt side tightened their grip after the interval, overwhelming their opponents 21-10 in the third quarter before edging the final period 20-19 to complete a convincing 20-point victory.

Idoga once again led the scoring with 21 points, equalling his output from the previous game against Hoops & Read. The forward, who scored his team's first eight points and finished the opening half with 17, credited the collective effort behind his performance.

“It all comes down to teamwork,” Idoga said. “We all came out to win and play our best basketball. Without my teammates, I wouldn't have scored as many points as I did. Credit goes to them for setting screens, delivering timely passes and covering up my lapses.”

Victor Sunday added 14 points, while Chinedu Nwaogu contributed 12 points, including a late three-pointer that capped the scoring just a day after celebrating his birthday. Anaiye Johnson and Buchi Vincent chipped in with nine points each as Rivers Hoopers knocked down six shots from beyond the arc.

The victory was particularly noteworthy given the absence of key players Abel Offia, who missed the game through illness, and captain Victor Koko, who was sidelined with a back injury.

Assistant coach Victor James praised the squad’s determination in navigating a demanding fixture schedule.

“I was pleased with the team effort,” James said. “We have played four straight games, and fatigue is beginning to set in. But I liked the fact that we worked together as a team with the right effort, pushing ourselves to make sure we got this win.”

James also revealed that tactical adjustments during the contest helped improve the team's offensive flow.

“There were some important adjustments I had to give to the players during the game, especially on defense and offense,” he explained. “At times we struggled to execute because we had too many players clustering in the lane. I had to make them understand that we needed to space out to allow easy access for driving and making extra passes.”

Rivers Hoopers will now turn their attention to Wednesday’s Rivers derby against Athletes 4 Peace as they seek to extend their unbeaten streak in Phase Two.

Looking ahead to the encounter, James expressed confidence in his side’s experience.

“We are going to approach the game the same way, but I think we will be more composed,” he said. “Athletes 4 Peace are a good team, but they are largely inexperienced. We have talented, experienced players, and we plan to leverage that advantage.”