Sprite Ball Beckons!!

All enthusiasts of Basketball in Ghana, I will like to inform you the time has come. This is the time where all and sundry in Ghana’s Basketball fraternity get busy. This is when all exciting prospects in terms of Basketball converge and exhibit their God-given talent to shoot field goals, make layups and slam dunks. This is the most famous and observed Basketball tournament on the shores of Ghana. This is no other than the Sprite Inter-High School Basketball Competition which is popularly christened “Sprite Ball”. This is indeed an annual event that shakes the whole nation in terms of sports.

Every year, there is always an explosion and release of interesting basketball prowess by students in the senior high schools and this years event which takes place from the 5th of January, 2016 to the 7th of January at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra, is set to be no different. This is because when we look at the schools which have made it to the final showdown through the regional qualifiers, most of these schools have the track record of putting up great performances. Indeed they are annually represented by players of good caliber which could be talents that can be nurtured into professionals who could eventually play across Africa, Europe and even in the NBA.

The draw was held on the 27th of December, 2015 for both the men and women’s division at the Adesa We Studios of TV3 live on the Basketball program “Fast Break”. This is how the schools are grouped for the tournament:

BOYS

GROUP A

MFANTSIPIM SCHOOL

MAWULI SCHOOL

KOFORIDUA SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL (KSTS)

ACCRA ACADEMY

The four-time champions Mfantsipim will be looking to make it a 5th this year as they come with all confidence and aura defending champions come with. The school from Cape Coast will fancy their chances as they come against the tipped winners KSTS, Mawuli School and Accra Academy.

GROUP B

POPE JOHN’S SHS

ADISADEL COLLEGE

PREMPEH COLLEGE

ST JOHN’S GRAMMAR

Prempeh College have been a school that really came close to the trophy after losing the final to Mfantsipim School in 2010. Unfortunately, they have not been able to reach the finals ever since and they will fancy their chances against ADISADEL COLLEGE, ST JOHN’S GRAMMAR and POPE JOHN’S SHS, which are all schools that really want to also write their own success stories.

GROUP C

OPOKU WARE SCHOOL

GHANA SECONDARY TECHNICAL SCHOOL (GSTS)

,b>A.M.E. ZION AGGREY MEMORIAL

ST THOMAS AQUINAS

Ghana Senior Technical School(GSTS) is a Western Regional Powerhouse in terms of Basketball and actually won bronze in the 2012/2013 edition. They really have to find a way to make it happen this year round. They will have to do it against OPOKU WARE SCHOOL who have come third in the last two consecutive editions as well as AGGREY MEMORIAL and ST THOMAS AQUINAS .

GROUP D

PRESBYTERIAN BOYS’ SCHOOL-LEGON(PRESEC)

KAJEBI-ASATO SENIOR HIGH

ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE (AUGUSCO)

GHANA LEBANON ISLAMIC SCHOOL(GLIS)

The final group has the winners of the 2nd Edition PRESEC as the school to look out for. They made it to the final in 2014 and certainly they do feel this is their year. They come up against AUGUSCO GLIS and KAJEBI-ASATO.

GIRLS

GROUP A

AME ZION AGGREY MEMORIAL

ST MARY’S SENIOR HIGH

SHAMA SHS

The 2013 winners of the title Aggrey Memorial will definitely look to win it once more after losing out twice in the final since they last won it. They start their journey when they come against one time finalist ST MARY’S and SHAMA SHS.

GROUP B

TI AMASS

ACCRA WESLEY GIRLS

NKAWKAW SHS

T.I. AHMIDIYA popularly known as TI AMASS are the defending champions in the girls division. They have indeed won it twice in a row in 2014 and 2015 and certainly they will be looking to make their third. They do have to up against the optimistic ACCRA WESLEY GIRLS and NKAKAW SHS who placed forth last year.

GROUP C

MFANTSIMAN GIRLS

TEMA SHS

KUMASI GIRLS SHS

<>b>AWUDOME SHS

Here we have the tale of Mfantsiman Girls who have placed third in the last two editions. Will the girls from Cape Coast improve upon their performance in the previous two tournaments by at least reaching the final or rather do same by winning another bronze? One thing I do know for sure is that time will tell. Mfantsiman will have to pass through TEMA SHS, KUMASI GIRLS and AWUDOME SENIOR HIGH in the group stages.