KETABUSCO, Shama win Sprite Ball Championship

Keta Business College (KETABUSCO) and Shama Senior High School (SHS) emerged surprise first-time winners of the respective Boy's and Girl's Division titles of the Sprite Ball Championship on Saturday in Accra.

Boy's final

Darkhhorses KETABUSCO outclassed defending champions and record five-time winners Mfantsipim School 48-40 to win their first title in the 13-year history of the Sprite Ball competition.

KETABUSCO appeared stronger, quicker and much more aggressive in the contest as they recorded a second win in two-days over Mfantsipim after stunning them 32-24 in the opening game of this year's tournament.

KETABUSCO, buoyed by the ball-handling skills of point-guard and tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP), Prince Gidisu, boasted a one-point lead at the end of the first cagey quarter but the lead was expanded further by seven points with the second quarter ending 20-13.

Their dominance was typified by the vast number of rebounds Nana Opoku Amusah, Richmond Dzikunu and Prosper Davor garnered at both ends of the court with Daniel Setordzi draining a couple of threes to all but decide the tie with a 30-19 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Mfantsipim briefly threatened a late fightback by bypassing the solid KETABUSCO defence with some long-range shots of their own but their opponents were on hand to punish them on the fastbreak.

West Africa Senior High School defeated Prempeh College 20-15 to claim third place in the Boy's Division.

The coach of KETABUSCO, Mr Senyo Ashiagbor was named the Coach of the Tournament after steering his lads to victory.

Girl's Final

In the girl's final which preceded the boy's final, Shama SHS, edged St. Louis Senior High School 15-14 to win the silver trophy and cash prize.

In a battle of first-time finalists, St Louis lead for three quarters but were overhauled by Shama in the fourth quarter.

Indeed, St Louis had the golden opportunity to snatch victory at the death but forward Bridget Agyeman could not cope with the pressure from the free-throw line.

With spectators jeering at her in what was the final action of the tie, Bridget fluffed her lines by missing both shots.

Two-time winners Kumasi Girls Senior High School won third-place after beating Osu Presbyterian SHS 14-6.

Shama made a clean-sweep in the individual honours with Gifty Nkrumah and George Hanson being named MVP and Coach of the Tournament respectively.

The competition reserved for Senior High Schools in Ghana was sponsored by Sprite.