Ghana’s biggest high school basketball tournament-Sprite Ball Championship’s- soon to be ten year anniversary, has been touched by the lives and passion of students and players who have experienced the competition first hand. Students from several schools have thronged Ghana’s capital, Accra to show love to their schools at the championship just as players and coaches will do same to win. As part of the hugely successful tourney which began in 2007, Basketballghana.com celebrates senior high schools that have competed in the championship and made their mark in shaping the greatness of one of West Africa’s biggest tournaments. St. Peter’s Senior High School is definitely one of Ghana’s best schools in the field of academics.
Like many of its storied and well respected peers, the second cycle institution has grown to inculcate the winning fabric into other areas including sports. Prominent among the bevy of sports disciplines the school thrives in, basketball easily stands out as the most attractive venture to the school. The attraction has translated into “PERSCO” emerging as a formidable force in the Eastern Region against the likes of Koforidua Secondary Technical School, Pope John Senior High School, Suhum Senior High School among others.
The school’s basketball team made it to the national games after successfully qualifying from the regional qualifiers in consecutive years fending off opposing schools that consistently underwent changes to beef up their roster. In 2007, Oda Senior High School was the main challenger, and then came Suhum in 2008 and 2009 before old foes Pope John and Koforidua began their ascent on the ladder. Featuring prominently in the early years of Sprite Ball however, did not insulate Peter’s from the changes the competition was about to undergo in the seasons that followed in Accra.
The introduction of more schools due to the expanded format, was great for the improvement of the tournament but it ended the run of Peter’s in Sprite Ball as the side has failed to make the roster at the main championship for well over four years. One main reason for the fall back in recent years has been the improved efforts of other schools in wooing players to their teams creating super teams, Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers would jealous, in the process. Mfantsipim School, winners for three straight years (2011-2013) had the big three of Julian Morgan, Maxwell Mod and Edem Quist during that splendid run.
However, a look at the University Of Ghana (UG) all conquering basketball team of 2016 gives an idea of Peter’s quality some years back. Captain Aziz Abubakar , a former student and player, led UG to win the GUSA, UPAC and five awards at the Ghana Basketball Awards. The side went crossed borders to triumph at the All Africa University Games in Johannesburg, South Africa. “Dignitati Hominum” meaning “For the dignity of Mankind” is the motto of this great institution and it is for dignity that Peter’s is primed for a rebound era beginning with Sprite Ball at 10.
