Sports
Debutants Win Milo Basketball Championship
Debutants St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Nyiman, Makurdi, Benue, have won the 12th Nestle Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship.
Their coach, Spencer Chile, said after the final game that ended 76-63 on Saturday, that he felt fulfilled having defeated two-time champions, Ahmadiyya College, Kano.
“We came with the aim of winning the competition, because this is our first appearance.
“I feel very happy and fulfilled winning this competition because for over 16 years of my career as a coach, I have never won any national championship”.
Chile extolled Nestle Plc for sustaining the sponsorship of the only major secondary school championships in the country.
“Nestle Milo may not understand the kind of thing they are doing to better the lives of the Nigerian youth,” he said.
Bakki Gilbert, St. Joseph’s Secondary School captain, also told Tidesports source that he felt happy seeing his team winning the competition in their first appearance.
“I pray I make a good career out of basketball as I am nurturing the ambition of playing for the NBA in the US,” he said.
Coach Shuiabu Maitama of Ahmadiyya College, Kano told newsmen that he was happy that his team placed second.
He said “I thank God for every thing because it is not easy placing second moreso when my boys could not match the Benue boys physically”.
He, however, said that the match officials were unfair but that he has had a good experience with this year’s tournament.
International School UNILAG, Lagos, placed third in the boys’ category after defeating St. Augustine’s Seminary Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi 39-29.
In the girls’ category, defending champions Asaba Girls’ Grammar School (Senior), Delta, retained their title by defeating Dalex Royal International School, Ilorin, Kwara, 38-9.
They did not lose any match to any school from the preliminaries to the final.
The third place in the girls’ category was won by Queen Amina College, Kaduna which beat Government Girls’ Secondary School, Yola, Adamawa, 30-19.
Queen Amina has now recorded its fourth victory in their four appearances in the competition.
The winner, second and third placed schools in both categories received cash prizes of N150,000, N120,000 and N100,000 respectively with a trophy each.
The most valuable player in the girls’ category was won by Ndidi Nwakanma from Asaba Girls’ Grammar School, while Ogwuche John won it in the boys’ category.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.