Underdog AKA Mombasa Team Crowned Coast Basketball Champions

The AKA Mombasa boys team huddle before they begin playingSaturday, 26 March 2016 – a day when history was made as the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa Open Boys Basketball team booked their place in the Nationals. They were crowned the 2016 Basketball Coast Region Secondary Schools Champions after emerging victorious against the defending champions, St. Georges of Kilifi County, 39-32 in what was a phenomenal three days of events.

Point guard Sydney Ochieng shows off his dribbling skills as Aga Khan shift into attack gear in the finals of the games against St. Georges of Kilifi CountyThe boys’ sheer determination, drive and motivation to be the best  was a large factor in their rise to the top. From the painstaking 6:00am runs around the 18-acre school premises to the vigorous Tuesday to Thursday after-school basketball sessions, there was clearly no easy route for the boys in reaching this historic feat. The boys' basketball team, coached and mentored by Coach Jimnah Kimani, went unbeaten throughout the entire three days of games. It had been a mountainous four years for Mr Kimani to assemble a team to reach the heights of this season.

The girls' basketball team, who had come to the tournament from winning the County games, put up a stellar show but they were sadly knocked out in the group stages.

Aga Khan Academy players of both boys and girls teams smile for the camera after beating reigning champions St. Georges 39-32 in the final of Coast Regional gamesThe Coast Region Term One games, which also hosted rugby, hockey and football games for both boys and girls categories, were held at the Kenyatta High School grounds, Taita. A pinnacle factor which enabled the team to exceed expectations and to do so with such chemistry, accuracy and finesse was how much of a family unit the team is. The feeling of brotherhood and respect the players have for each other and for their coach is visible to any outsider, and this was clearly highlighted by remarks of other players and spectators at the Regional games.

The Coast Region Term One games, which also hosted rugby, hockey and football games for both boys and girls categories, were held at the Kenyatta High School grounds, Taita Taveta County from 24–26 March 2016.

The National games are to be held at Friends School, Kamusinga in Nzoia County from 12 April 2016.

By Sadiq Issa, DP1 (The Reporters)