Schools start battle for regional crowns: Aga Khan Academy eye basketball crown in Taita Taveta

Fredrick Mchude (right) of Baptist High School attempts to block the way as Suleiman Mwachiti (left) of Aga Khan Academy tries to pass the ball to his team-mate in one of the semi final matches during the Mombasa County Term One games at the Shimo la Tewa High School, March 08, 2018. Aga Khan won the match. PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

St Anthony Boys school hosts Rift Valley championships.

Coast secondary schools boys basketball champions Aga Khan Academy will be keen to retain the title when Coast region Term One games starts in Taita Taveta County.

Coast schools assemble at Kenyatta High School Mwatate today ahead of the games that kick off tomorrow to Saturday.

Aga Khan Academy’s head coach, Jimnah Kimani, said he was ready to fight for glory after last week’s defeat to Shimo La Tewa High School in the final during the Mombasa County games.

Kimani attributed the loss to fatigue after his boys played for four consecutive days.

“We played at the Mvita sub-county games for two days before we played preliminaries at Mombasa County the third day and semi-finals and final on the fourth day.

“My players were totally fatigued, but we are ready for the Coast region games,” said Kimani.

In boys’ basketball, the focus will be on Aga Khan Academy, Shimo La Tewa, both from Mombasa, Kwale County champions Kaya Tiwi School, and bitter rivals Shimba Hills, also from Kwale.

Former champions St Georges from Kilifi County are missing after they were slapped with a three-year ban last year on allegations of fielding non-students.

In girls’ basketball, reigning national champions Kaya Tiwi are expected to have an easy passage on their way to retaining the title if their current form is anything to go by.

In rugby the focus will be on newcomers Galana from Kilifi.

Elsewhere, as the Rift Valley Secondary Schools Term One Games kick-off this morning at St Anthony Boys in Kitale in Trans Nzoia County, one rugby player is determined to graduate from the championships to become a star.

“It is not wishful thinking but a self-determination to accomplish what I started four years ago,” said the Menengai High School rugby 15s team captain Austin Sikutwa.

Although it would not come on a silver platter, Sikutwa said his team would start by replicating the performance that saw it emerge Nakuru County champions in the regional championships.

“We are equal to the task of repeating the same feat that saw us get crowned Nakuru County champions in the regional championships.

“We are taking one match at a time to see my dream come a reality at the national level,” Sikutwa said yesterday.

Sikutwa is credited for having led his team to sevens glory.