| East Africa’s Secondary Schools’ basketball defending champions, Mombasa High, received a major boost ahead of their title defence when they were handed two sets of uniforms by the Nation Media Group.  | Mombasa High’s Suzan Akinyi (left) and Fatuma Mohammed, donning their new uniforms, take part in a training session ahead of the regional schools games which start in Kisumu on Saturday. The team received the kit from the Nation Media Group.
Photo/GIDEON MAUNDU | Mombasa High will be defending their title in the regional games that begin in Kisumu this Saturday.
They will be seeking to become the first school to win the regional title for three years in a row. The uniforms were presented by NMG’s brand manager, Harry Njagi, at the company’s Mombasa offices.
Njagi said the company had recognised the team’s efforts, adding that the school had exhibited great skill in both the national and the regional basketball arena in the recent past. “We have been following your achievements closely and must say the Nation Media Group is happy to be associated with you,” Njagi said. While receiving the kit, school principal Lazzar Allapat, said the team was well prepared and focused on retaining their title. At the same time, the East African Secondary Schools Sports Association has released the tournament’s draws. Mombasa launch their basketball campaign against Inyeneva Mihigo from Rwanda on Monday before taking on Uganda’s Nabisunsa in another match on Tuesday. In football, Kakamega High School clash with defending champions, St Mary’s Kitende of Uganda, in the opening match at the Moi Stadium on Sunday. David Ngugi, the new regional organisation’s secretary general, while releasing the draws, said all the six countries in the region had confirmed participation. The games to be competed in include soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball, rugby and handball.
Other teams in Kakamega’s Pool ‘A’ are Kitende, Makongo from Tanzania and Mulusa Academy from Rwanda. Pool ‘B’ has Masaka Secondary from Uganda, St Anthony and Kisumu Day from Kenya and Groupe Scolea from Rwanda. Defending girls’ soccer champions Wiyeta from Kenya are in Group ‘A’, which also has Itigo and Masaka. Pool ‘B’ teams are Arch Bishop Njenga from Kenya, Kawembe from Uganda and Rwamagama from Rwanda. In boys’ basketball, defending champions Laiser Hill Academy are in Pool ‘A’, which also has St Austin’s Academy, and Cranes from Uganda, while Pool ‘B’ has Kenya champions Maseno School, Kibuli from Uganda,Makongo from Tanzania and Inyenera from Rwanda. In girls’ basketball, defending champions Mombasa High are in Pool A alongside Nabisunsa from Uganda and Inyenera Mihigo from Rwanda, while Pool ‘B’ has Kenya’s Tigoi Girls, Kibuli from Uganda and Don Bosco from Burundi. | 
