Delta State Sports Commissioner, Tony Okowa, has assured that the state will be ready for the national finals of the Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship.
Nigeria Schools Sports Federation (NSSF) in conjunction with the sponsors, Nestle Nigeria, have concluded plans to hold this year’s national finals outside Lagos State for the first time.
“I want to assure all that Delta State will be fully ready to host a successful championship.
“We know the stake is high and we also know what Lagos State has been able to achieve and we hope to improve on what they’ve done in the past,” Okowa said.
“Delta State is a sports loving state and we will do all within our reach to host a befitting and successfully national finals that, in the end, the sponsors and organisers would not be thinking of taking it out of the state.”
The four conferences – Western, Central, Confluence, and Equatorial – will host the zonal finals.
Western Conference holds in Lagos from April 18 to 24; Central in Ilorin, April 27 to May 4; Confluence in Lokoja, May 5 to 12; Equatorial in Enugu, May 13 to 19.
National finals in both boys and girls categories hold in Asaba from June 5 to 12.
Every team in the national finals will receive N200,000. Winners will get an additional N150,000 for first place; second N120,000 and third N100,000.
They will also receive trophies, Milo goodies and lots of Milo to drink.
After the championship, a special training camp will be held for players who distinguish themselves.
Milo in conjunction with Giants of Africa and some National Basketball Association (NBA) players from the United States will organise the training called the Nestle Milo Top 50 camp.
The camp holds from August 4 to 7.
Delta ready for Milo Basketball national finals, Okowa assures
Action during one of the matches at the Milo Basketball Championship