The leadership of the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) has warned teams’ officials participating in this year’s national finals of the 16th Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball championship to desist from using mercenaries.
This year’s national final of the championship dunks off on Tuesday, August 12 at the indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to end on Saturday, August 16.
The NSSF in conjunction with the National Collegiate Sports Foundation (NCSF) are the organisers of the championship under the supervision of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Secretary General of the body, Mrs. Bisi Joseph said stiffer penalties await teams’ officials and players caught cheating at the championship.
She said: “In all modesty and honesty, we have reduced the use of mercenaries at the championship but we have not totally eradicated it.
“We will continue to discourage the use of mercenaries at the championship and this year’s national finals will not be an exception.
“We’ve warned officials of all the participating teams and anyone caught using non-eligible students will be severally dealt with.
“There will also be sanction for such school or schools. We want the best for the championship and for the students and we will not relent on our efforts in achieving this”.
All the participating schools at this year’s national finals in the girls category are: Girls Government Secondary School, Numan, Adamawa State; Jesus College, Benue State; West End Mixed Secondary School, Delta State; Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State; C.A.C Grammar School, Akure, Ondo State and St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
In the boys category are General Murtal College, Yola, Adamawa State; Government Secondary School, Gboko, Benue State; St. Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzangbo, Ebonyi State; Henson Demonstration Secondary School, Edo State; Ilupeju Senior Secondary School, Ilupeji, Lagos State and Osadenis High School, Asaba, Delta State.
The first placed teams in both the boys and girls categories will go home with the championship trophy and N150, 000 prize money each while the second and third placed teams will take home N120, 000 and N100, 000 respectively.
There will also be individual prizes for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in both categories as well as the Best Behaved teams with lots of Nestle Milo products for all the participating teams and certificates of participation.
