The 26th Milo Basketball Championship has kicked off following the conclusion of the Savannah Conference regional finals at the Sanni Abacha Indoor Sports Hall in Kano, with Government Secondary School Zing from Taraba State and Family Support Programme Katsina crowned conference champions.
The tournament opening featured an address by Mrs Opeyemi Jaiyeola, Category Development Manager, standing in for Mr Gilbert Tweneboah, the Category Manager, who highlighted how far the programme has come since its launch.
“Since 1999, what began with fewer than 500 schools has expanded into a nationwide movement, now involving more than 12,000 schools every year,” he said. “That progress has not happened by accident. It comes from commitment, regular effort and the conviction that every child should have the chance to identify their abilities and develop their full potential.”
Savannah Conference finals: girls and boys champions
In the girls’ final, Government Secondary School Zing of Taraba State faced Government Girls College Unity School in Bauchi in what proved to be a tense contest. After a closely fought match, Zing secured a 53–43 win.
Happy Sylvester of Zing was named Most Valuable Player after producing a standout performance, scoring 38 points to help power her team to victory.
The boys’ final was equally dramatic, with Family Support Programme Katsina edging Government Secondary School Numan from Adamawa State by a single point. Katsina won 64–63 in a game that went down to the final moments.
Friday Emmanuel of Katsina received the MVP award for his impact on the outcome, adding 22 key points during the narrow success.
Attendance and next stop
The championship drew dignitaries from the Kano State Ministries of Education and Youth and Sports, along with media representatives and Olympic Commission officials. Key partners also attended, including NSSF, NCSF and FIBA.
With the Savannah Conference complete, attention now turns to the Central Region Finals, scheduled for the Indoor Sports Hall of Mogadishu Barracks. Teams from the Central Region will compete for the opportunity to represent their region at the National Finals in Lagos in July.
