12 teams begin final race for trophies, cash prizes

Twelve secondary schools, including six girls and six boys’ teams, have started the final race for the trophies and cash prizes earmarked for champions at the 2018 Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship, which national finals are holding in Lagos.

The competition dunked off at the weekend at the indoor sports hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, where the zonal champions are fighting for the trophies won last year by Government Secondary School, Minna, Niger State (Boys) and St. Jude Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State (Girls).

The teams are divided into two groups of three schools each, with every team getting to play the others in its group in the first phase.

According to the draws held at the weekend, in the girls’ category, defending champion, St. Jude Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, Government Secondary School, Numan, Adamawa State and Government Secondary School, Karu, Abuja are in Group A, while Wesley Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos, Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue State and Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State are in Group B.

In the boys’ category, Father O’Connell Science College, Minna, Niger State, St. Augustine Seminary, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State and Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina College, Bauchi are in Group A, while International School, University of Lagos, Gen. Murtala Mohammed College, Yola, Adamawa State and Belary School, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State are in Group B.

Speaking on the competition after the draws, Nestle Nigeria Plc’s Managing Director, Mauricio Alarcon, who was represented by the Category Manager, Beverages, Olufemi Akintola, said the company had used the competition and other sports competitions to help children imbibe values that help them to be successful through life. “This is because we believe that sports provide opportunities for the development of qualities that set the foundations for a child’s future.