Nyanza giants Onjiko eye Eliud Owalo Nyanza basketball title

Onjiko School head coach Joseph Were is confident his team will lift the inaugural edition of the Eliud Owalo Nyanzasecondary Schools basketball festival scheduled for this weekend in Kisumu.

“Since we are the Nyanza region boys’ basketball champions, we are favourites to lift the tournament. We are going for the ultimate trophy,” said head coach and principal Joseph Were.

He added: “I know it will be very competitive but I’m confident my boys will perform well. We lost against Maseno during the Amadi Open tournament but we needed to lose so that the boys can train hard ahead of the schools' competition.”

Were hailed Information, Communication, and  Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo for organising the tournament. “This is a good tournament which will help in exposing basketball talent from the region,” he added.

Maseno Schoo coach Austine Otieno warned Onjiko and Agoro Sare that they should brace up for a real fight because they are not pushovers

“Our main threats in the tournament are Agoro Sare, Onjiko, and maybe Sawagongo. However, this year, we have beaten both of them and we hope to be the best in this tournament,” said Otieno.

He added: “I have very intelligent boys although they are not endowed with height. As compared to previous years, I think we have the best team,” noted Otieno.

Onjiko and Maseno will face off in the opening game of the tournament at the Maseno School basketball court. “Expect an entertaining game,” promised Otieno.

Agoro Sare start their campaign against St Kizito Nyansiongo at Kenyatta Sports Ground while Usenge will battle it out with Kisii School.

In the girls’ category, Nyanza regional defending champions Ototo Mixed coached by the principal Clement Nyakinda will face minnows Manga Girls from Nyamira in the opening match as Kereri Girls and Sironga face off in the other game.

Former Nyanza region champions Barchando will start their hunt for the tournament against Nyakach Girls while Sengera Girls will play Asumbi in the other encounter.

The tournament which has attracted 26 teams will be played at Maseno School, Kisumu Boys, Kisumu Girls, and Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground.

The tournament is sponsored by the Eliud Owalo Foundation, the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS), Co-Operative Bank, Skyward Express, Kenya Airways, Kenya Ports Authority, Jambojet, Jambo Foam, and Maseno University among others.

Saturday fixtures;

Jomo Kenyata Sports Ground Court A

Usenge vs Kisii     (Boys)

Sironga vs Kereri  (Girls)

Ekenyoro vs Usenge (Boys)   

Ngiya Vs Sironga (Girls)

Kisii School Vs Ekenyoroi (Boys)     

Kereri Vs Ngiya (Girls)  

Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground Court B

Agoro Sare vs Nyansiongo (Boys)

Ototo vs Manga Girls (Girls)

Migori Vs Agoro Sare    (Boys)

Tuk Jowi vs Ototo (Girls)

Nnyansiongo vs Migori (Boys)

Manga vs Tuk Jowi (Girls)

Kisumu Boys;

Nyanchwa vs Ototo (Boys)

Kisumu Boys vs Kanyawanga (Boys)

Kanyawanga vs Nyanchwa (Boys)

Ototo vs Kisumu Boys (Boys)

Kisumu Boys  vs Nyanchwa (Boys)

Kanyawanga vs Ototo   (Boys)

Maseno School;

Onjiko vs Maseno School (Boys)

Sengera vs Asumbi  (Girls)    

Maseno vs Sawagongo (Boys)

Kwa vs Sengera (Girls) 

Sawagongo vs Onjiko (Boys) 

Asumbi vs Kwa (Girls)

Kisumu Girls;

Sinyolo vs Kisumu Girls (Girls)

Nyakach vs Barchando (Girls)

Sinyolo vs Nyakach (Girls)     

Kisumu Girls vs Barchando (Girls)   

Nyakach vs Kisumu Girls        (Girls)

Barchando vs Sinyolo (Girls)

Ends