Basketball head coach of Minna-based Father O’Connell Science College of Niger State, Emmanuel Biodun Tanko has attributed his wards doggedness for the victory over FCT-based Government Secondary School in the final of the boys’ category event in the Central Conference of the Milo Basketball Championship.
According to Tanko, his team lost to the same opponents last year in the same championship. On the team’s preparation on the road to victory this year.
“We had a 70-day period of training and even during Ramadan, we were there,” he said.“It is a testimony that hard work pays.
“Also, without God, we would not have been able to achieve this feat.”
Similarly, captain of Father O’Connell Science College, Mahmood Mustapha Mohammed, thanked Nestlé MILO for supporting and sponsoring them, adding his dream is to play with globally recognized stars in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the future.
Father O’Connell Science College who defeat Government Secondary School by 53 points to 49, were therefore crowned champions of the boys’ category at the Central Conference of the 23rd MILO Secondary Schools Basketball Championship held between May 12 and 19 in Abuja.
In the final game of the girls’ category of the championship, Government Secondary School of Karu defeated their counterparts from Queen Amina College of Kaduna State by 35 points to 24 points.
Both Father O’Connell Science College and Government Secondary School will represent the Central Conference at the national finals of the 23rd MILO Basketball Championship in Lagos in July.
States who competed in the Central Conference of the Milo Basketball Championship at the Indoor Sports Hall, Package ‘B’ of the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja were Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, and host FCT. Others are Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Benue and Sokoto states.