Unilorin Secondary School and St. Anthony Secondary School emerged champions at the end of the maiden edition of Kwara State Secondary School Basketball Championship held at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin on Saturday, 9, May, 2026.
Unilorin Secondary School outscored St. Anthony Secondary School 51–26 to win the Boys’ category, while St. Anthony Secondary School outbound Olayemi Comprehensive College 12–3 to clinch the Girls’ title.
Earlier in the day, during the placement games, Olayemi Comprehensive College edged Hill City Secondary School 22-18 in the Boys third place match, while Unilorin girls claimed bronze.
Sports administrators, coaches, scouts and stakeholders described the competition as a major step towards reviving grassroots basketball and rebuilding school sports in Kwara State.
The Chairman of the Kwara State Basketball Association, Aliyu Jubril, said the championship was organised to discover talents and positively engage teenagers through sports by teaching them valuable life skills such as leadership, discipline, coordination and teamwork.
He noted that several successful professionals and international athletes once participated in similar school competitions and commended the support received from former players and professionals, including Opeyemi Babalola of Webber Engineering Limited and Rasheed Bello, for contributing to the success of the championship. supporting grassroots basketball development, adding that their involvement demonstrates how grassroots sports can shape futures and open path ways.
Aliyu called for stronger financial backing to fully unlock the potentials of basketball development to catapult the state to national and international levels as witnessed in 2022 when Kwara Falcons represented Nigeria at the Basketball Africa League.
Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Mallam Bolakale Mogaji, while presenting medals at the closing ceremony, praised the association for the initiative while calling for continuity in grassroots basketball development, stressing the need for regular trials, tournaments and school-to-school talent discovery programmes across the state, a process he claimed the Commission will adopt.
Highlight of the championship was the identification of promising players by coaches and scouts for follow-up training during the holiday period. Stakeholders expressed optimism that with all hands on deck, basketball will continue to thrive.
