Nigeria Customs Basketball Club grabbed the final qualification spot for the Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Final 4 at the very final day of the Final 8 tournament in Port Harcourt on Sunday, www.aclsports.com reports.
The NPBL Final Eight was concluded on Sunday night with Nigeria Customs joining Lagos Legends, hosts Rivers Hoopers and Gboko City Chiefs in the Final Four.
Customs needed a win and for results in other games to go their way and they secured a crucial 70-64 points win over Kano Pillars. The win added to their previous wins over Kwara Falcons and Nile University who they edged in the race for a place in the Final Four.
The final day began with a tightly contested clash between Gboko City Chiefs and Hoops and Read. Both teams needed a win to solidify their place in the Final Four, but it was the Chiefs who edged out a narrow 63-62 victory. Gboko led by as much as 20 points. Michael Oriahki had a game-high 16 points.
The second game featured Nigeria Customs against Kano Pillars and they sealed the fourth and final ticket with a hard-fought 70-64 win. Customs captain David Godwin scored a game-high 22 points, leading his side to an important win.
In the third game, Nile University faced Lagos Legends. While Nile showed promise, especially in the second quarter with strong defensive plays – blocking shots and grabbing steals – they struggled to convert those efforts into points. The Legends capitalized on this, pulling away in the third quarter and cruising to a dominant 93-63 victory. Patrick Abah showed up big time with a game-high 20 points. He was a torment in Nile’s flesh, flexing on his athleticism, ability to drive to the paint and sink layups.
The last game of the Final Eight saw winless Kwara Falcons take on Rivers Hoopers in a match that was all about pride for the Falcons. Despite starting with intensity, they were handed an 83-69 defeat by the KingsMen.
At the end of the NPBL Final Eight, Lagos Legends and Rivers Hoopers topped the table with identical records of six wins and one loss each. Gboko City Chiefs secured third place with five wins and two losses, while Nigeria Customs claimed the fourth and final spot, narrowly edging out Kano Pillars and Nile University Spartans.
The Final Four which will crown the NPBL winner for 25 and the representative for the 2026 Basketball African League (BAL) will be decided in Port Harcourt from November 20-24, 2025.
