The Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship remains an inspiration for Nigerian youth instilling life values of hard work as well as team work, discipline and fair play. The organizational structure which controlled over 10,000 Secondary Schools across the country pencilled down for this year’s edition in the four conferences after the states finals.
The first was the Confluence Conference in Lokoja in April this year followed by the Atlantic in Benin, Central Conference in Akure and Western Conference in Ibadan and culminated with the National Final just concluded in Lagos.
Each conference has its own unique features. Debutants St. Peters College Idah, Kogi State emerged Confluence Conference champions and almost sat on top at the grand finale. The Confluence Conference also produced the youngest player 12 year old Aisha Mohammed of Bilingual Secondary School, Maiduguri who was also the captain of her team. Although her school did not make it to the National Final but Aisha displayed superlative skills which confirmed she has prospects in the game.
Also in this group of first timers who excelled are Onome and Omena Akpoyibo, the 12 year old twins identified from the Central Conference in Akure. In terms of consolidation of the already existing position, the two finalists in the girl’s category. National Champions St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Amarata, Bayelsa and runner-up Idiah College Benin City need to be mentioned.
Both teams have been rivals from the Atlantic Conference swopping positions at every encounter showing the improved standard of play from that part of the country.
Coach Chris Nomigo of Dodan Warriors Basketball Club sees this development as a great one for basketball in Nigeria. “The players are very young and skilful, if the standard is maintained; the sky is the limit for the game of basketball in Nigeria”.
Some teams have also remained consistent. Ilupeju Grammar School, Lagos and Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan Oyo State continued with the steady growth. Both teams were also present at the 2014 National Finals in Lagos.
In terms of tactical play the boy’s champion Government Secondary School Kaduna seemed to have mastered a particular strategy especially in the last quarter. Just like what the team did at the Central Conference Final against Benue. The Kaduna boys came from behind using the same reliable and dependable player David Isa’s “buzzer” shot to pick the trophy at 52-51.
Of course Isa was named the Most Valuable Player of the Championship. The Public Relations Officer School Sports Federation Kudu Umar said the players “ball sense” was highly commendable.”No one was sure of who would emerge victorious because the tempo was high. Although we watched from the terrace but it was as if we were the ones on the court. The standard was very high”. The referees’ co-ordinator Halidu Mohammed was happy with the officiating. “The referees used at the National Finals were graded from their outings at the conferences.
We used the best at the National Finals”. The winning coach in the girl’s category Tony Nelson of St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School Bayelsa State noted that the Nestle Milo Basketball has shifted attention from football to basketball. “You observed that on the day of the final games, there were two other sporting events at the National Stadium Lagos, a league match at Legacy Pitch and Tennis Championship at the Tennis Court but the Indoor Sports Hall where the Milo Basketball was held was filled to capacity. Thanks to Nestle Milo, the sole sponsor.
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