Accra Polytechnic tops 2015 basketball award nominations

The final shortlist for the 2015 Ghana Basketball Awards has been released with Accra Polytechnic dominating heavily for top individual honours.

The final shortlist of nominees was released on Tuesday with the capital-based tertiary institution leading the nominations following a breathtaking basketball season.

Romeo Enan Wilfred, Abdul Mutaleb Alhassan, Daniel Nii Aryee and reigning champion Baniba Norbert Dodzi will fight for the ultimate crown for the Most Valuable Player of the season in the male category.

The fight in the women’s category appears to be evenly shared with Accra Polytechnic’s captain Grace Martina Doe slugging it out with Yayrah Kluiboto (University of Cape Coast), Claudia Seidu (Takoradi Polytechnic) and Belinda Tawiah (CEPS).

The Accra Polytechnic basketball team must fend off competition from Braves of CEPS, Mfantsipim School and University of Cape Coast for the Team of the Year.

The Coach of the Year will be an interesting case with veteran and defending champion Brimah Lawah (Accra Polytechnic and CEPS) hoping to retain his title after his second successive nomination.

The experienced trainer who guided Accra Polytechnic and CEPS to dominate the basketball space in the year under review is the hot favourite to retain his crown. But he must compete with Isaac Kobina Owusu Mensah (University of Cape Coast and Mfantsipim School), Isaac Reagan (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) and Emmanuel Quaye (Tema Youth).

This year’s award will also see the introduction of the High School Coach of the Year which will be keenly contested for by four exciting trainers.

Isaac Kobina Owusu Mensah, who guided Mfantsipim to win their fourth title in the prestigious Sprite Ball Championship, is up against high-flying Ahmed Baffoe, who has also been instrumental in the dominance of TI Ahamadiyya in the girls division.

Prince Adarkwah (Aggrey Memorial) and Kofi Siaw Boateng (Keta SHS) are also in the reckoning for the Coach of the Year accolade.

Perhaps one category which will excite many is the Tertiary Player of the Year. The new award scheme is aimed at identifying and rewarding the most outstanding basketball player at the tertiary level in the West African country.

Romeo Enan Wilfred (Accra Polytechnic), Ibrahim Mohammed (University of Cape Coast), Nana Owusu Agyei Afriyie (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology) and Kingsley Quist (Zenith University College) will be up for honours in the competing category.

The High School Player of the Year is an award that will intrigue students at the Senior High level with Mfantsipim duo Jamani Salifu Misheal and 2013 Most Promising Player Daniel Owusu going at each other in the boys’ category. Unsung Bompeh Senior High School handler Christopher Appiah as well as Edwin Appiah (Presec-Legon) all in the race for the individual honours.

The High School Player of the Year in the female category is a straight fight between defending champion Joana Danso (Aggrey Memorial) and rival Rachel Obeng of Kumasi-based TI Amass.

However, Juliana Cudjoe (Aggrey Memorial) and Rebecca Korankye –Taylor (Mfantsiman), who have made the shortlist could spring a surprise in category which is expected to invoke emotions.

Teams that excelled in the GUSA, UPAC, GHAPSA, Sprite Ball and Greater Accra League will be honoured at the gala.

The 2015 Ghana Basketball Awards takes place LIVE on TV3 on Friday October 16.

More than 150 guests drawn from the sporting fraternity, businesses, some members of the Diploma corps, government and media amongst others expected to fill the TV3 auditorium.