Champions crowned at 24th Milo basketball championship

The curtain has closed on another exciting edition of Nigeria’s longest-running school sports competition, the Milo Basketball Championship.

This year’s 24th edition saw nearly 12,000 schools participating, showcasing a thrilling display of young talent.

After a series of intense matches across local governments, states, and zones, champions finally emerged: Ijaiye Housing Estate Grammar School, Lagos, in the boys’ category, and Dom Domigos College, Delta State, in the girls’ category.

Both teams displayed not only exceptional skills but also remarkable tenacity and discipline.

Their victories culminated in nail-biting final matches held at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere.

Lagos edges out Niger

Fans at the National Stadium were on the edge of their seats throughout the boys’ final.

Ijaiye Housing Estate Grammar School started strong, scoring the first basket and three-pointer.

However, Father O’Connell Science College, Niger State, quickly countered, keeping the game close.

The first quarter ended with Niger leading 11-7.The second quarter was a tightly contested battle, ending with Niger holding a narrow 20-16 lead at halftime.

Lagos came out firing in the third, taking the lead with a three-pointer and additional points.

They dominated this quarter, winning it 12-3 and heading into the final quarter with a 28-23 advantage.

The drama continued in the final minutes. With barely two minutes left, the score was tied at 32-32.

Just as it seemed Niger might snatch victory, Lagos clawed their way back, forcing overtime at 38-38.

The extra time belonged to Lagos. They displayed incredible resilience, scoring eight straight points to take a commanding 46-38 lead.

Though Niger fought back, closing the gap to 46-45 with a minute remaining, Lagos held on for a thrilling 49-45 victory.

Dom Domigos College upsets defending Champions

In the girls’ category, Dom Domigos College faced off against the defending champions, Topfield College, Ajegunle, Lagos.

Topfield got off to a strong start, leading by nine points in the first quarter.

However, Dom Domigos College didn’t back down. They fought back, eventually emerging victorious with a final score of 44-38.

Celebration galore

The winning teams and players were ecstatic about their achievements, crediting their success to hard work, teamwork, and perseverance.

Players expressed their gratitude for the support of coaches and the value of the Milo Basketball Championship experience.

Nestlé Nigeria Plc’s Managing Director, Wassim El-Husseini, commended the participants’ sportsmanship and congratulated everyone involved.

He emphasised the championship’s role in fostering a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and excellence.

He also highlighted Nestlé’s commitment to empowering the next generation of athletes by instilling values like perseverance, endurance, and teamwork through initiatives like the Milo Basketball Championship.

“At Nestlé, we are deeply committed to our values. We believe in a culture of inclusivity, culture of collaboration and excellence. Our passion constantly drives us to innovate and create a positive impact in the lives of young athletes through initiatives like the Milo Basketball Championship as we strive to empower the next generation as we instil value perseverance, endurance and teamwork,” he said.

Aside from the fanfare and fireworks, the Milo championship also featured a special category for young people with disabilities, highlighting its commitment to diversity and inclusion