Martin Woolnough, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria Plc has said that 7,000 schools across the country would feature in the 15th Nestle Milo Secondary Schools Basketball Championships.

The state preliminaries of the competition will hold from March 4 to 18, while the four conference finals will hold between April 15 and May 15.

Woolnough who disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos that the number was an improvement over those of the previous editions because of the company’s commitment to developing sports.  “In 2007 we engaged 2,500 schools, we doubled that number to 5,000 in 2012, and in 2013 we will engaged a total of 7,000 schools.

“These schools are across the six geo-political zones in the country and it proves our feat in stretching ourselves even in difficult times,” he explained.

The Managing Director said the theme for the 2013 competition, “Champions, It is Dunking Time’’, was designed to promote noble champions.

He said the making of champions required self-confidence, patience, determination, passion, preparation and listening to advice.

“Champions like to win; develop drive; learn to endure and accept challenge as well as work hard and love what they do,” he said.

He urged participants to demonstrate all the qualities of champions both at the state and at the conference levels.

In her address of welcome, the Category Business Manager, Nestle Milo Plc, Adedoja Ekeruche, said the conferences had been increased from two to four.

Ekeruche listed the additional conferences as Atlantic Conference in Enugu and Central Conference in Ibadan, while the existing ones are Western Conference in Akure and Confluence Conference in Lokoja.

“Every participating team will be given N160,000 each and the teams that qualified for the national finals will be given N200,000 each.

“Each winner of the four conferences will take home N30,000, while second and third place winners will receive N25,000 and N20,000 respectively,” she said.

Present at the occasion were the Vice President, Nigeria School Sports Federation, Martins Udomaiye and Remi Olowude, the Chairman, National Collegiate Sports Foundation.

The Secretary, Nigeria Basketball Federations (NBBF), Francis Gbiri, commended the company for its continuous efforts in grassroots basketball development.

St. Augustine Seminary Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State and St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa State, are respectively the boys and girls defending champions.