Koforidua Secondary Technical School (K.S.T.S.) dominated in the Guard battle in the just ended Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges (UPAC) Basketball Championship by boasting a huge chunk of elite Guards in the competition.
The Eastern Regional powerhouse has over the years been an ever present feature in Ghana’s highly rated high school championship- Sprite Ball following an impressive string of phenomenal basketball at one of the most sought after amateur competition in the West African sub region.
The school got massive representation from esteemed Alumni including Emmanuel Ekow Amoako of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Robert Fiifi Brew of University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and Shooting Guard Emmanuel Wolff of reigning champions University of Ghana (UG).
Aside sharing similar playing spots on the court, the trio-well at least two of them- share interesting nicknames with Amoako going by the moniker “Clock” and Brew “Kube” meaning coconut.
Wolff having starred on the winning side and gifting UG the UPAC trophy with the go ahead three point shot with less than 15 seconds left on the clock. As the time run down on what had been a pulsating game between defending champions Accra Polytechnic and hosts UG and the former leading by two, a dagger three by the fly weight sharp shooter destooled Accra Polytechnic.
The lanky Guard starred for KSTS in the school’s silver medal effort in the 2012/2013 edition of Sprite Ball. Despite losing to Mfantsipim School in the final, his team formed the blueprint for the school and has since been unable to eclipse that achievement.
Ekow Amoako’s subtle game has grown from strength to strength with each passing year as he continues to add to repertoire of dazzling skills and sweet shooting beyond the arc. Amoako captained KSTS to win the 2009 Eastern Regional Championship at Sprite Ball and his rise has been sustained since.
The immense talent of the then youngster got long time KSTS Coach Eric Larbi to say, “If I have to define him as a young basketball player in a few words: natural class, talent and love of the game.”
Amoako has since been in a key cog for KNUST who failed to clinch the 2015 UPAC Championship title after letting slip a massive lead against Accra Polytechnic. His dreams of lifting the coveted trophy was foiled again as KNUST placed third after beating Takoradi Polytechnic 48-45.
The unknown quantity among the group has to be Robert Brew. The speedy play maker like his aforementioned peers played in the Sprite Ball Championship but garnered the most attention with his utter worldly performance in the UPAC.
His wonderful showings in Zone E preliminary qualifiers earned him the Most Valuable Player award. On the national stage, his play just sky rocketed as he was the sole bright spot in UENR’s underachieving debut campaign.
His talent was on display in the second quarter final game against Marshalls University College. Down by 19 points, Kube led the charge to wipe out Marhsalls’ massive lead and send the game into overtime before losing 61-63.
With the tenth anniversary of Sprite Ball set to roll at the end of the year, fans should be on the lookout for the next star out KSTS’s famed stables.
