2014 Sprite Ball: The Best Individual Performances of March Madness

The 2014 Sprite Ball Championship offered moments of glory, agony and heartbreak.

From devastating injuries to awe-inspiring performances, the 24 participating schools progressively put up another peerless contest at the El-Wak stadium.

The question is, who has put on the best individual performances of March Madness?

From shooting clinics to monstrous defensive performances, certain players have come to play at a level that few have been able to match.

Whether they’re making every shot in sight or preventing the opposition from doing such, the following players have been the best of the best at their level.

Sedem Tetevi (Keta Senior High)

Having ended the two-day championship as the Most Valuable Player (MVP), the accolade sums up the performance of Sedem Tetevi in the 2014 Sprite Ball contest.

The third year student at Ketasco underlined his potential with his aerial ability and skill coupled with his mental fortitude and power play to captain the side to their first title in four attempts.

His ability to step up in the clutch on both ends and make unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot was the main deal.

Sedem’s field goal percentages may not have been marvelous, and Sribor Setor, was a key factor in this win. With that being said, without Sedem’s sharpshooting down the stretch, Setor’s outing would have just been a statistical blur.

Sribor Setor (Keta Senior High)

Setor was undoubtedly one of the big stars for the Ketasco team with his strength and speed becoming a major source of worry to opponent. He didn’t surprised many with his sublime and great inter-positional display on the court that saw many fans taken notice.

Another great basketball potential for the West African nation.

Kwaku Owusu Ansah (Opoku Ware)

He may not have won the title, but Kwaku Owusu Ansah displayed great potential for Opoku Ware which earned him the fans’ favourite player at the recently concluded championship.

The shy-looking youngster was the toast of fans with his sizzling blocks and eye-catching passes, making him a face that cannot be easily be forgotten.

Joana Danso (Aggrey Memorial)

Aggrey Memorial star Joana Danso was nothing short of a sensational and a juggernaut for much of the 2014 Sprite Ball Championship held in Accra almost two weeks ago.

The sky looks to be the limit for the impressive guard after she ended the competition by winning the best individual accolade – the female MVP following her sterling performances at the El-Wak stadium.

Danso shockingly stole the march off Real Amass’ Rachel Obeng, who was voted the fans’ favourite player to win the overall MVP.

The youngster, in her third year with the Cape Coast-based side corralled a numbers of rebounds in their final defeat against the debutant.

She put up arguably eye-popping displays in front of a packed crowd at the venue but it was never to be as they lost their crown – failing to defend it in the process.

But she was took solace in her personal thrive and believes the positive campaign will bolster his self-belief.

Rachel Obeng (T.I Ahmadiyya)

Young power forward Rachel Obeng can take comfort in knowing she was voted the fans’ favourite player after missing out on the MVP award.

The youngster was a delight to watch as she dazzled fans at the El-Wak stadium,  holding high the flag of Kumasi-based T.I Ahmadiya School aloft.

Real Amass made their debut appearance in the competition and surprised many at the venue with a performance that has left tongues wagging since they triumphed.

The opening day victory against last year’s losing finalist St Mary’s sent strong signal about their ability to cause an upset- and rightly so they lived up to that believe to snatch the title from holders Aggrey Memorial.

Many often try to quantify a player’s value with varying statistics, but that single award by itself tells us more than a printout of obscure arithmetic or out-of-context data.

The fans’ favourite player is more a recognition of the eye test than anything else.

Rachel Obeng passes the eye test. You don’t need to look at the stats to know how critical she is to her team’s success.

She is a hulking, hyper athletic behemoth of a lady whose dominance is undeniable. She was virtually a mismatch for any player who attempted to guard her from a typical standpoint.

Her weight and speed obliterate any concept of specific position, and she was a reflection of the recent trend of super-versatile players.

Rachel is a supreme floor general and elite scorer at her level. She is relied upon to distribute the ball just as much as she is upon to score and dominate individually.

Indeed, this had been a rollercoaster of a finals that will go down as one of the greatest in the history of the competition.

There were moments that will feature in highlights reels for years to come – Rachel miracle game winning shot, Joana’s amazing block in the finals and a host of other skills that will dominate the major talking point in the country.

Who in your opinion stood out as the best performer (s) during the 2014 Sprite Ball Championship and why? Please make your views known in the box below.