The Chairman of the Kwara State Basketball Association, Aliyu Jubril, has showered applause on all stakeholders and corporate bodies who made the body's maiden schools' championship a huge success.

Sports247 reports that the competition came to a pulsating end last weekend, with Unilorin Secondary School top of the boys' cadre, while St. Anthony Secondary School won for the females during Saturday's finals at the Kwara State Stadium Complex, Ilorin.

Unilorin Secondary School defeated St. Anthony Secondary School 51-26 in the boys' category, while St. Anthony Secondary School mauled Olayemi Comprehensive College 12-3 to get the girls' gong.

An excited Jubril said the competition was organised to discover talents and engage teenagers in valuable life skills, like leadership, discipline, coordination and teamwork, through healthy sports contests.

Jubril also noted that several successful professionals and international athletes once participated in similar school competitions, hence the accolades he also gave some former players and professionals who supported the venture.

"We thank Opeyemi Babalola of Webber Engineering Ltd and Rasheed Bello for contributing to the success of the championship and supporting grassroots basketball development. Their involvement demonstrates how grassroots sport can shape futures and open pathways.

"We need stronger financial backing to fully unlock the potentials of basketball development to catapult our state to national and international levels as witnessed in 2022 when Kwara Falcons represented Nigeria at the Basketball Africa League," Aliyu affirmed.

Sports247 further gathered that, while presenting awards and medals at the closing ceremony, Kwara State Sports Commission Executive Chairman, Mallam Bolakale Mogaji, praised top shots of the basketball association for the initiative.