The biggest annual inter-high school basketball competition Sprite Ball will take place between January 3-7, 2016 at the El-Wak Stadium in Ghana’s capital, Accra.
A total of 26 schools will compete for the ultimate prize in Ghana basketball in both male and female categories respectively.
The qualified schools will be drafted from six regions in Ghana including the Western Region.
The Western Region, renowned for its mineral reserves including oil is steadily making head ways in basketball also. Next year’s tournament will feature Ghana Secondary Technical School (G.S.T.S.) and St. John’s School in the boys’ division and Shama Senior High School in the girls’ division.
Basketballghana.com takes a look at the region’s representatives and how they will likely fare in the main tournament.
Ghana Secondary Technical School
G.S.T.S. is an unquestioned authority in basketball in this region. The Takoradi-based school have been a constant feature at the national games on the back of impressive runs in the regional qualifiers.
This year’s qualifiers were no different as the “Giants” came through a thick field that included last year’s debutants Bompeh Senior High. The team went on to beat Adiembra Senior High School (ADISEC).
The school’s team will have a daunting task of emulating a massive third place finish in the 2013 edition which still ranks as the best finish of any school from the region.
St.John’s School
Qualification for next year’s tournament never looked in doubt after witnessing the school steamroll their way through the qualifiers.
Affectionately called the “Saints”, the school together with G.S.T.S., have an insurmountable lead over the rest of the region’s schools. However, St. John’s have surprisingly failed to make an appearance in the latter stages of the national championship.
Heading into the tournament, the school have set sight on topping past achievements with serious intent to do the unthinkable of winning what would be the region’s first national title.
Shama Senior High School
Not having a major profile like contemporaries Ahantaman Senior High, Arch-Bishop Porter Girls’ Senior High and Takoradi Senior High School, Shama has managed to carve out a niche for itself in basketball.
The intense competition of the women’s game in the region has seen the likes of Ahantaman and Fijai Senior High School make appearances in different editions of the tournament.
It is for this reason, the ladies from the small fishing town ought not be disregarded.
The “Giants” shall prevail