1st July, 2013
Head coach of International School, Akoka, Lagos, ISL, Ijeoma Ernest has said their target is to finish on the podium in this year’s finals of the Nestle MILO basketball championship that dunks off on Tuesday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.
A total of 12 teams, six teams each in the boys and girls categories, will compete in the grand final of the 15th edition of the all secondary schools basketball tourney scheduled to hold from 2-6 July.
The defending champions, St. Jude Girls’ Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa, and Government Secondary School, Gboko will battle in the first match stated for today.
Speaking ahead of their first match tomorrow, coach of ISL, Ijeoma Ernest says their target is not to win the coveted trophy but to put up an impressive performance at the tourney.
“We have been drawn in a tough group that includes two other teams from Zamfara and Benue state. “Based on our experience in this championship, the Northern teams are tough sides and they had given us a lot of hard times in the past. Our target this time is to put up a modest performance irrespective of us winning the title or not. We finished in third position last year and if we could equal that feat this time around it would be a achievement for us considering the loads of academic works most of my players are facing this period.”
Group A consists the defending champions, St. Jude Girls’ Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa, Government Secondary School, Gboko and Westend Mixed Secondary School, Asaba.
In Group B, there are the maiden champions, Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Ahmadiya College, Kano and Government Day Girls’ Secondary School, Gusua.
In the boys’ category, International School of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, from Rivers, Government Secondary School from Minna and Adedokun International School of Otta are in Group A.
In Group B, there are International School Lagos, ISL, Akoka, Government Boys’ College, Funtua and St. Joseph Secondary School, Makurdi.
According to the Category Business Manager of Nestle PLC, Mrs Doja Ekeruche, the eventual winners of the championship will get a cash prize of N150,000, while the1st and 2nd runners up will go home with a cash prize of N120,000 and N100,000 respectively and a giant trophy.
All the twelve participating schools in the finals will get a cheque of N200,000 on their arrival in Lagos.