Basketball in Africa

Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State and Quine Unic College, Owode-Yewa, Ogun State at the weekend picked the last two tickets for the Nestle Milo Secondary Schools’ Basketball Championship national final slated for Lagos in October.

Interestingly, both Oyo and Ogun gained their qualification at the expense of Lagos State teams that would have had the privilege of playing at home in the national final.

Oyo State girls outscored their opponents, Lagos Comprehensive College, Maryland, 24 – 15 in the final played at the Liberty Stadium Indoor Sports Hall last Saturday.

However, the boys’ final was keenly contested from the beginning to the end. Ogun took an early lead against the Ifako International Secondary School, Agege, Lagos boys, but both teams ran neck-to-neck in the last quarter with Ogun winning by 44 – 42 points.

Adebisi Omotosho, the Ogun State boys’ captain said the victory was no fluke, promising that the state will create further surprises when hostilities begin at the grand finale in lagos later in the year.

Nestle Nigeria Plc’s Regional Sales Manager, West, Kola Alimi commended the players for the high standard they displayed, and pledged the company’s further sponsorship of the championship.

Prizes including cash and materials were distributed to the winners and other participants.

The final was graced by dignitaries including the championship’s National Coordinator, Col. Sam Ahmedu (rtd) and Commander Lawal Abdullahi of Federal Road Safety Corps, Ibadan.