Nestlé MILO Basketball Championship 2023: Savannah Conference lights up Kano

Government Day Science Secondary School Jalingo in Taraba State and General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola, in Adamawa State, won in the boys’ and girls’ categories, respectively at the first regional conference of the 23rd MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship.

Nestlé Nigeria’s MILO Secondary School Basketball Championship has been promoting the value of grit for over 23 years, helping schoolchildren learn essential life skills such as resilience, persistence, stamina, cooperation, and self-belief. These values enable them to overcome challenges and achieve their goals in life.

At the recently concluded Savannah Conference, Government Day Science Secondary School Jalingo, won in the girls’ category by 19 points to 13 points, against Government Secondary School, Numan, Adamawa State. To win in the boys’ category, General Murtala Mohammed College Yola, scored 39 points against 24 points scored by Dutse Model International College, Dutse, Jigawa
State.

Happy Sylvester from Government Day Science Secondary School Jalingo, Taraba State, was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament in the girls’ category. “I do not have words to say how I feel, but I am really, really excited. This is huge, and I never expected it, but with God all things are possible. I thank God, I thank MILO and I thank my teammates,” she said.

The Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament in the boys’ category is Numan Dickson from General Murtala Mohammed College Yola, Adamawa State. “I am happy and extremely excited. Thanks, to my teammates and coaches. They made my dream come true. I always wanted to be MVP since I started playing basketball, so, I am happy.”

Nestlé continues to lead grassroot sports development in Nigeria through its MILO Basketball Championship, contributing to the growth of many players in the Nigerian national teams, and notable clubs across the world today.

Category Manager for Beverages, Nestlé Nigeria, Mr. Olutayo Olatunji, reiterated Nestle’s commitment to developing talents, promoting healthier lifestyles, and instilling values for success in life through sports. “MILO, firmly believes that through participation in sports, children learn enduring values to help them achieve sustainable success in life,” he said.

“We are therefore, pleased to have this opportunity to provide a platform where young talents find expression through MILO Secondary School Basketball Championship. On the field of play, the teams depend on the discipline, perseverance, courage, self-belief, and respect that they imbibe during practice and through their interactions with each other. These life skills are not only for
basketball; they equip the players to navigate their careers and to be productive in society. In a nutshell, ‘the GRIT’ you learn in sport, you keep for life.”

States who competed in the Savannah Conference, at the Sanni Abacha stadium, Kano from the 3rd to 10th of May 2022 include Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Zamfara, and Kano. Others are Gombe, Katsina, Bauchi and Jigawa. Winners of the Savannah Conference will compete with winners of the Central Conference in Abuja, Equatorial Conference in Asaba and Western Conference in Ibadan holding between the 12th of May and the 6th of June 2023 at the national finals in July 2023.

The Central Conference will take place in Abuja, the FCT from 12th – 19th of May 2023.

From just a few schools at its commencement in 1999, MILO Secondary School Basketball championship reaches over 150,000 individual players from over 10,000 schools across Nigeria every year.