St Mary's School Yala's basketball team poses for a photo during the Sub County Championships/ANGWENYI GICHANASt Mary’s
School Yala’s basketball team returns to the Siaya County Secondary Schools Sports
Association for the first time since 2016.
Yala humbled Nyanza regional defending champions Sawagongo High 113-68 in the Gem Yala Sub-County championships to seal the ticket to the county championships.
The county championships will be held at Ugenya High from March 4 to 6. Yala
and Sawagongo will, however, proceed to the county games.
Coach Leonard Okuku, however, said the game was the worst they have played this year.
“There
were many turnovers, and the boys did not defend. The result could have been more
than 160. We have now turned our focus on the county title,” said Okuku, who
led Sawagongo to regional glory before transferring to Yala.
Okuku
further said his target is to lift the national trophy. “At the county and
regional levels, we want to beat all the teams by over 100 baskets. At the
regional level, the only team that can stress us is Ringa Boys because it’s the
only team that I have not watched.”
He said friendly games against Kenya Academy
of Sports champions, Friends Schools Kamusinga, Sigalamae, and Xavier School have
boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the county and regional showpiece.
“We have a
strong, hardworking, and talented team that is ready to face any school in the
country. This is the year of Yala to lift all the trophies from Sub-County to the
national level,” he added.
Yala, popularly
known as the Black Saints, also bagged the rugby 15s, hockey, and handball
titles. In rugby 15s, the former Nyanza champions defeated Sawagongo 55-3 in a one-sided
encounter, while in handball, Yala saw off Maliera 35-26.
Elsewhere,
Nyanza regional girls’ hockey champions Ng’iya Girls thrashed Mbaga Secondary
16-0, qualifying for the Siaya County championships. Ng’iya’s basketball team
also stormed the county games after wins over Obambo and Mbaga.
In the opening game, Ng'iya coached by Naftali Ambala, walloped Obambo 75-23 and thrashed Mbaga 73-3.
