The 26th edition of the Milo Basketball Championship has commenced with thrilling victories for Government Secondary School Zing of Taraba State and Family Support Programme Secondary School, Katsina, at the Savannah Conference regional finals held in Kano.
The regional finals, staged at the Sani Abacha Indoor Sports Hall, attracted young basketball talents from across northern Nigeria, setting the tone for another competitive season of one of the country’s biggest grassroots sports initiatives.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Category Development Manager, Mrs. Opeyemi Jaiyeola, who represented Category Manager, Mr. Gilbert Tweneboah, described the championship as a transformative platform that has continued to shape young athletes nationwide.
She recalled that since its inception in 1999, the championship has expanded remarkably from involving fewer than 500 schools to over 12,000 participating schools annually across Nigeria.
According to her, the sustained growth of the tournament reflects consistency, commitment and a shared belief that every child deserves an opportunity to discover talent, build confidence and attain full potential through sports.
In the girls’ final, Government Secondary School Zing, Taraba State, defeated Government Girls College Unity School, Bauchi, 53–43 in an intense encounter that showcased discipline, teamwork and resilience from both sides.
The standout performer in the girls’ category was Happy Sylvester of Zing, who delivered an exceptional display by scoring 38 points to emerge the Most Valuable Player of the final.
The boys’ final also produced high drama as Family Support Programme Secondary School, Katsina, edged Government Secondary School Numan of Adamawa State 64–63 in one of the closest contests of the championship.
Friday Emmanuel of the Katsina side emerged the Most Valuable Player in the boys’ category after contributing 22 decisive points that proved crucial to his team’s narrow victory.
The championship attracted key stakeholders and dignitaries, including officials from the Kano State Ministries of Education and Youth and Sports, representatives of the media, the Olympic movement, as well as development partners such as the Nigeria School Sport Federation, Nigeria Cycling Federation and FIBA representatives.
With the Savannah Conference finals concluded, attention has now shifted to the Central Region Finals scheduled to hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of Mogadishu Barracks, where participating teams will battle for qualification spots ahead of the National Finals in Lagos this July.