Government Secondary School, (GSS) Karu, Abuja and Topfield School, Agegunle, Lagos have emerged as champions of the 23rd edition of the Nestlé Milo Secondary School Basketball Championships in both boys and girls category respectively.
GSS Karu, defeated Father O’Connel Science College, Minna, 46-43 in a close contest at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos.
The match was well contested for as both teams brought their best to the game to outplay each other.
However, a strong willed FCT team would not bow to the hard working team work of their opponents from Minna.
Head Coach of FCT team, Andre Abeche, after the match, praised his boys for their doggedness and mental strength for holding on their.lead and beating their opponents at the end.
He told NAN that his team was well prepared and gave their best to win the game.
“I am very happy, it was a huge game that could have fine anywhere but we are happy tonne victorious at the end,’ Abeche said.
Similarly, Head Coach of Father O’Connel, Tanko Emmanuel, said his team lost to a well-coordinated opponent, but was pleased at the performance of his boys.
He said that they put up a good fight for the championship trophy and but for early mistakes in the game, it could have gone their way.
Similarly, in the girls category, Topfield School Ajegunle, Lagos, beat Government Secondary School, Karu, FCT, 53-50 to emerge champions in another closely contested match.
Uchechi Augustina from Topfield College won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the girls category.
She said that she was excited for the victory and was highly inspired by the support from the crowd.
“We won the championship trophy because we worked very hard for it; we were also motivated by our fans in the hall.
“I really want to thank the sponsors of the competition for yet again dipping their good hands into their pocket to support basketball,” Augustina said.
In the same vein, Head Coach of Tipfield College, Godspower Anokam, said that his team had lost 15 points to FCT in the group stage.
He said that after their progression into the finals, he was determined not to lose to them again.
“We won this game because we were well prepared for it. We were in camp for two months and did all that was necessary to perfect our victory.
“Indeed, it is a big victory for our team and we will go back and continue to work harder and develop youths at the grassroots level,” Anokam said.
The fair play award for girls team went to Government Secondary Science Schools Jalingo, Taraba State.
In the boys category, General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola, boys were awarded the fair play award.
Joshua Augustin from Government Secondary School, FCT, won the Most Valuable Player Award in the boys category.
No fewer than 15,000 schools nationwide participated in this year’s edition.