Basketball in Africa

Defending champions Mombasa High School sent long-time rivals Kamukunji Secondary School packing from the national secondary schools games girls' basketball contest when they hit them 81-32 in a one sided match at Shimo La Tewa secondary to qualify for the semi finals.

Lydia Wafula of Sikinwa High School from Rifty Valley province, clears the bar in the girls high jump during the on going national secondary schools first term ball games at the Shanzu Teachers Training College. PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU.

This means that Kamukunji Secondary, the former school champions, will miss the girls' basketball semi-finals for the first time in six years.

Mombasa took a 17-4 first quarter lead.

Irene Wanyama, a younger sister of KPA and Kenya star forward Gladys Wanyama, did most of the damage for Kumukunji, nailing two three pointers and a number of perimeter shots.

Wanyama scored game high 32 points while Beatrice Awino and Brenda Wasuda scored 18 and 15 points respectively.

Salma Akinyi Garang scored 10 points while Irene Anyango scored eight points for Kamukunji.

In the other girls' match, Tigoi Girls defeated Moi Girls Kibwezi of Eastern 112-28 to book their ticket for the semi-finals.

In boys' matches, Aquinas of Nairobi upset East African secondary schools champions Laiser Hill Academy of Rift Valley 57-50 to enter semi finals. Aquinas also beat St Charles Lwanga of Eastern Province 105-27.

Meanwhile, championship organisers have dismissed an appeal by Coast Secondary Schools Sports Association following the suspension of Shimba Hills forward Philip Amenyi.According to the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association secretary David Ngugi, the officials stood by the earlier decision to award Kisumu Day the match and suspend Amenyi who transferred from Maseno to Shimba Hills.

The Coast body, however, insisted that student had been a victim of circumstances, saying clearance from one school to another had never been an issue when deciding the eligibility of a player.

"If we were to start looking at the clearance of students, then most of the schools at the national championships would have to pack up and go because they have recruited players from other schools," a coast official said.