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.