Basketball
By Babatunde Ogunrinde
Lagos May 9, 2018 (NAN) Gen. Murtala Mohammed College, Adamawa, on Wednesday defeated St. Augustine’s Seminary, Ebonyi, 40-29 to book a place in the boys’ final of the ongoing 2018 Nestle Milo Secondary Scholl Basketball Championships in Lagos.
The Adamawa team will play the defending champions, Father O’Connell Science College, Minna, Niger, who had earlier edged the International School (UNILAG) Lagos, 55-47 in a keenly contested match.
Adamawa and Niger who have yet to meet in the competition, both had unbeaten runs, recording breathtaking points to outplay every opposing team that came their way.
Meanwhile, the head coach of the Adamawa team, Dickson Tinism, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that hard work and good team spirit had got the team into the final.
“We played well, we were well coordinated and our pace was just too much for every opposing team.
“We are confident of doing well in the final as we are well prepared to give our opponent a very good match,’’ Tinism said.
Similarly, Kudu Umaru, the team coordinator of Niger team, told NAN that his boys were superb all through the tournament, and was confident of defending the championship cup they won in 2017.
“We are motivated by the state to win the championship, my boys have shown good quality from the beginning of the competition and I expect nothing but a fine performance from them.
“It is going to be a good match as it promises to bring the best out of the two northern teams, I am confident we will be crowned champions,’’ Umaru said.
In the girl’s category, St. Jude’s Girls Secondary School, Amarata, Bayelsa beat Government Secondary School, Gboko Benue, 41-14 to reach the final.
St. Jude’s who are four times champions of the competition, will play Yejide Girls Grammar School, Ibadan, Oyo State, who crushed Government Secondary School, Karu FCT, Abuja, 33-12.
The competition which began on May 4 ends on May 10 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. (NAN)
BAO/ERO/PDE
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Peter Ejiofor)