Basketball in Africa

By PHIONAH MWADILO

National basketball champions Mombasa High School will play Tigoi Girls from Western Province in the finals of this year’s Kenya Secondary Schools term one ball games at the Shimo-la-Tewa grounds today.

In boys’ basketball, Aquinas High School will meet Laiser Hill High in the finals. In yesterday’s semis, Mombasa High girls proved too powerful for Raliew Girls when they thrashed them 129-30 in a one-sided encounter.

The defending champions dominated the entire match and were already 30-7 up by the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Raliew Girls tried to contain the Mombasa side, but their efforts failed to yield any fruits as their opponents proved a more polished side.

Mombasa’s Brenda Wasuda shot several three pointers that stretched her side’s advantage to a 50-13 lead by half time. By the end of the match, Mombasa’s Beatrice Awino had collected 42 points, while Priscah Moraa had contributed a further 16. Raliew’s Olaga Atieno and Peninah Anyango managed14 and 12 points respectively.

It was, however, not so smooth sailing for the other finalists, Tigoi Girls, who were stretched to the limits by a hard-fighting Menengai High School before they eventually won the match 85-71.

In the first quarter, Tigoi struggled to settle down, but eventually carried it 16-14.

In the second quarter, Tigoi’s Yvonne Mashedi inspired her side with several three pointers to a 43-21 lead by the break.

Mashedi managed17 points, while her teammate, Rachel Muhadia, contributed 28 points.

Menengai’s Okondo Awino collected 15 points, while Ombima Adiama had 31 points.

In the boys’ semi-final, Laiser Hill High School overcame stiff opposition from Friends School Kamusinga, before they narrowly won the match 98-94.

The match started slowly, but heated up in the second quarter with both sides exhibiting great flair and composure. By the break, the two teams had almost tied 42-41 to the advantage of Laiser Hill. Laiser Hill were a bit shaky in the third quarter, and were guilty of losing balls under pressure.

But a few minutes to the end of the quarter, Laiser Hill brought in Victor Zakaro and Richard Ndong who had started on the bench and the two turned the game around for the victors.

And as the quarter progressed, Kamusinga displayed some great passing and amassed a 78-75 lead. The lead was, however, to be short-lived, as Laiser Hill later overturned the result to 87-84 in their favour by the end of the quarter.

By the final whistle, Laiser Hill prevailed 98-94.

Laiser Hill’s Gift Nyongesa managed 20 points, while his teammate, Leonel Mayake, contributed 19 points.

Kamusinga’s Antony Gitonga was the top scorer of the game with 40 points, with teammate Bak Boi Bak contributing 22 points. In the other semi-final, Aquinas beat Mang’u boys 45-35.

Mang’u took a lead of 11-06 in the first quarter, but lost their way in the second after Aquinas sealed their loopholes. Aquinas’ Anthony Chidi and Kevin Samora managed 15 points a piece.