The battle for Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One games titles will hit a notch higher when teams face off in the semis as this year’s contest enters homestretch in Eldoret.
Schools that excelled in their respective pools will be looking to continue with their good run and secure their places in the finals as well as book their tickets to the East Africa games set for August in Huye, Rwanda. Basketball champions Dr Aggrey and Kaya Tiwi from the Coast region will be out to outclass their opponents and inch closer to retaining their crowns having survived a day two scare that saw them lose their second pool matches.
Dr Aggrey who finished second in Pool B will take on Pool A winners Dagoretti High from Nairobi in a repeat of last year’s final. Dagoretti High beat Lukenya School from Eastern 60-52 in their last pool match to finish on top. Lukenya who qualified for the semis for the first time will play Pool B winners and former champions Laiser Hill.
An elated Lukenya coach Jeff Muange said that his charges had already shown improvement by reaching the semis having been eliminated at the group stage last year.
“Our performance proves that we have improved and we are not the same as we were last year. I laud my boys for playing very well because this year’s competition is tougher than last year’s, but they are in the semi-finals and it’s not a mean feat to have made it to the last four,” Muange said.
He added that going into the semis, he will not pressure his charges but will let them play and stopping his opponents is the only strategy he will use. Laiser Hill beat Lukenya 88-59 in their opening match last year and will be hoping to triumph against them again.
Girls defending champions Kaya Tiwi who finished second in Pool A will take on pool B winners Loreto Limuru while Butere Girls will play Our Lady of Mercy South B. Kaya Tiwi will go full throttle against Loreto who are yet to lose a match. They beat Butere Girls 60-54 in their last pool match and qualified for the semis on a superior points difference. Butere, Kaya Tiwi and Ototo Mixed had tied on five points after winning two matches each.
In handball, boys’ and girls’ champions Hospital Hill and Moi Girls Kamusinga remained on course to retain their titles after reaching the semis. Hospital Hill will battle former winners Musingu while the other boys’ semis will see Mbooni Boys battle it out with Manyatta. In the girls’ contest Kamusinga will tackle novices Nyathuna while last year’s finalists St Joseph’s Kitale will play Miranga.
By Education News
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