Lagos Mainland Schools Excel At 3×3 Basketball Tournament

The second edition of the U-16 Mainland 3×3 Basketball Tournament for secondary schools took place on Saturday in Ikeja, featuring public and private schools from Lagos Mainland competing for top honours on the court.

Organised by Onaopepo Adu, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sports Marketing and Administration, the event forms part of a broader youth-development initiative combining competitive sports, digital innovation, and community-level talent development.

This year’s tournament welcomed 16 school teams, up from 12 last year, with 64 basketball players and 8 student gamers participating. For the first time, an eSports component allowed students to compete virtually in an NBA-themed video game contest.

In the boys’ competition, Ilupeju Senior Grammar School edged Topfield College 12-11 to claim the title. The girls’ category saw Topfield College dominate, defeating Dansol High School 22-2. Hosts Avi-Cenna International School finished third in both boys and girls events, while the eSports tournament concluded in a thrilling two-point game, with Avi-Cenna narrowly overcoming Wellspring College 59-57.

Adu highlighted the importance of providing platforms for young athletes, saying, “We brought private and government schools together to identify talent. Two MVPs from last year’s edition were invited to the NBA Junior Cup. We want more students to gain such opportunities, and potentially pursue professional careers.”

He added that the tournament’s expansion into digital sports reflects a commitment to modernising youth engagement: “We are not just focusing on the court; the eSports edition allows students to compete and showcase their skills digitally.”

Senior Special Assistant on Sports, Damilare Orimoloye, praised the collaboration between private and public schools: “It is encouraging to see athletes from different backgrounds come together. Poor performance in a single game doesn’t define a player—they develop through competition and experience.”

Players and coaches also commended the organisers for providing quality kits and raising the overall standard of the tournament.

The inaugural edition, held in December 2024, featured schools from Lagos Island.