Basketball in Africa

Rivers State University of Science and Technology International Secondary School, Port Harcourt Monday qualified for the national finals of the Nestle Milo Basketball tournament billed to hold in Lagos later this year.
The Rivers boys emerged champions of the Enugu Conference by beating their Bayelsa State counterparts, Winners International Academy Secondary School, Yenegoa, 54-41 points.
The final match being a local derby between the finalists was fiercely contested with the first quarter ending 9-9 before the Rivers team upped their game to win the second quarter by 21 to 19 points.
On resumption for the third and final quarter, the Rivers State team increased the tally by 38-27, just as they coast home with 54-41 points to emerge champions.
The elated Rivers State team coach, Tekena Okumgba, stated that his joy knows no bounds as this is the first time in almost a decade that the school will qualify for the national finals.
"I'm very happy about this victory because it to us a long time to achieve this feat. I also want to say here that we are going to Lagos to battle hard for the title," he boasted.
Meanwhile, St. Jude's Girls secondary school, Bayelsa also qualified for the national finals after out dunking Reinhold International secondary school, Abiriba, Abia by 40-19 points.