Father O’Connell Science College Minna, Niger State and St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, have emerged champions of the 20th edition of the Milo Secondary School, Basketball Championships in the male and female categories respectively after the grand finale which held at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium in Lagos, penultimate week.
Last year, Government Secondary School, Minna won the 19th edition of the championship for the male category. The school returned to the 20th edition as defending champions and carted away with the first prize position but with a new name of Father O’ Connell Science College Minna.
The boys from Niger state defeated their counterparts from Gen. Muritala Muhammed College, Adamawa state, 60 – 59 to lift the trophy. The fiercely contested match had spectators on the edge of their seats as the game went down to the wire with just a point between the two teams. The game was tied in the second and third quarter with 28 – 28 and 41 – 41 respectively.
Unlike the male category, St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa state outclassed the girls from Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan Oyo 47 – 31 to retain the title in the female category. The Bayelsa girls have won the trophy back to back for the past 5 years, taking the trophy home in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Speaking at the event, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Nestle Nigeria, Mauricio Alarcon, expressed his delight to be part of the 20th edition of the Nestle Milo Basketball Championship. He stated that Nestle believes in helping to improve livelihoods of individuals in the communities where the company operates.
“As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of Nestle Milo Basketball Championship, we celebrate the alumni who today play in the Nigerian National Team, in European Leagues, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Some of them are here today and we celebrate them,” Mr. Alarcon said.
He further applauded the passion and professionalism of the participants as part of what inspires Nestle to invest in grassroots sports development in line with the company’s purpose.
“We will continue to work alongside our partners, the Ministries of Sports, Youth Development and Education in various states, the Nigerian Schools Sports Federation, the National Collegiate Sports Foundation and the Nigeria Basketball Federation to promote youth participation in sports,” Mr. Alarcon informed.
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