AFTER two months of grueling basketball contests, 12 teams - male and female - have emerged from the zonal qualifiers of the 14th Milo Secondary Schools Basketball competition.The schools, which won from their respective zonal qualifiers, will battle it out for the coveted Cup at the indoor sports hall of the Lagos National Stadium, Surulere, starting from August 6 and culminating in the grand finale on the 11th.Also, a special basketball camp organised by the National Basket Federation (NBBF) for the best 50 players at the tourney will hold from August 12 to 14.Speaking at the draws for the competition, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria, Martin Woolnough, said the company decided to increase school participation in the championship by 25 per cent, from 4,200 to 5,000 in this edition.He added that first place winners in both male and female categories would receive N150,000 each, second place would get N120,000 third place, N100, 000. He further disclosed that as sponsors, they were proud to support the development of African sports talents through the firm's numerous sponsorship platforms.Woolnough also highlighted Nestle Nigeria's programmes through Milo, which have helped to nurture young talents in sports. According to him, 'Milo, the energy food drink for future champions, has continued to nurture the growth and development of sports in Nigeria.'These include the Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship, Milo Football Clinic with Peter Rufai and the Milo U-13 Africa Football Championship.'The Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship is an annual competition open to every school in Nigeria and aims at discovering and nurturing the sporting skills of future champions.'Woolnough added that this year's tourney has witnessed tremendous improvement with about 5,000 schools participating, which was a delight.He noted: 'The geographic scope of the regional conferences played in June was also expanded to include Asaba, Akure, Lokoja and Ilorin. The improvement reflects the brand's ambition to give more to the development of basketball in Nigeria.
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