1500 players, officials storm Minna for basketball tourney

About 1500 players and officials are expected to participate in the Central Conference Playoffs of the Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championship expected to be staged in Minna, Niger state.

Niger State Director of Schools Sports, Alhaji Kudu B. Umar made this disclosure while briefing Journalists on the preparation towards hosting the championship slated between May 10 and 16, 2019.

He revealed that eight states namely – Benue, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kogi, Kaduna, Federal Capital Territory and Nassarawa would join the host state, Niger state for the Central Conference playoff.

Alhaji Umar said the visiting teams were expected to arrive Minna on Friday, while the championship would kick-off on Saturday.

He said all the matches would be played at the College of Education, Minna Basketball Hall.

According to the state director of Schools Sports who is equally the Public Relation Officer National Schools Sports Federation (NSSF), all arrangement have been concluded by the state to host the Championship.

He also stated that Father O’Connell Science College Minna that were 2017 and 2018 winner of the Championship would represent the state in the boys category, while Government Girls Science College, Bida would represent the state in the female category.

Alhaji Umar said the Nestle Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship has four conferences.

They include Savannah Conference, Central Conference, Equatorial Conference and Western Conference, where a winner is expected to emerge from each conference and two best losers were expected to join the four winners for the finials slated at Lagos in June this year.

He also disclosed that as part of the activities of the Championship, the officials of the Championship would pay a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Education and that of Sports Development on Wednesday, Niger state governor Abubakar Sani Bello and his cabinet members are expected to witness the final.

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