LEGENDS EDGE HOOPERS TO WIN PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE IN DRAMATIC FINISH

By: Gyang Dakwo

Lagos Legends Basketball Club claimed the 2025 Nigeria Basketball Premier League crown on Sunday after a tight 74 to 72 win over Rivers Hoopers in Port Harcourt. The result ended the champions bid for a third straight title, and it brought a lively end to the Final Four battle.

Both teams entered the game with two wins each, and they also went in knowing that the winner would take Nigeria’s only ticket to the 2026 Basketball Africa League. The stakes were high, and the pace of the game showed it from the start.

Legends had already beaten  Hoopers once during last month’s Final Eight with an 80 to 79 victory, and this earlier win helped build their confidence as they opened the game strongly again. They made the early moves, yet Hoopers still managed to take the first quarter by 20 to 19.

The second quarter stayed close, and Lagos Legends kept pushing. Their effort paid off, and the teams reached halftime on level terms at 32 to 32.

Rivers Hoopers then picked up a slim lead in the third quarter, and they ended that stretch ahead by 52 to 49. Lagos Legends stayed calm, and they used the final quarter to fight their way back. They drew level at 61 to 61, then moved in front, and Rivers Hoopers replied quickly to tie the game at 70 to 70 with only 39 seconds left.

Rivers Hoopers scored two more points, and it looked as though they were closing in on the trophy. Lagos Legends stayed sharp, and they found four late points to seal the win. Their final push denied the 2024 Basketball Africa League bronze medallists another championship.

The victory also handed Lagos Legends Nigeria’s place in the 2026 Basketball Africa League, and they will now take the spot previously held by Rivers Hoopers.