MFANTSIPIM DELIGHT AS AGRREY GIRLS KEEP MOMENTUM IN THE CENTRAL REGION

Mfantsipim put up a peerless display to beat rivals Adisadel College (Adisco) ‘easily’ while Aggrey Memorial Girls won their division on technical grounds to conclude the fixtures in the 2010 Central regional Sprite Ball Championship on Saturday.

The finals in the boy’s division will be one that Adisadel will like to quickly forget after been silenced by Mfantsipim who by their feat will keep the title for good after winning the competition in the region on three successive occasion.

Mfantsipim won the game by an incredible 17-5 in a one sided contest at the Schools and Colleges Park, Cape Coast.

Power forward and one of the stars of season-2 of Community Dunks, Edem Quist was thick in the affairs of the defending champions, distributing the ball with so much accuracy to his colleagues from the centre of the court.

Ironically it was a battle of family ties as the final game pit two brothers against each other. Selassie Dumenu who was chief handler for Adisadel played against his younger brother Edem Dumenu. It was a delight to watch both brothers battle for the ball to attempt to win laurels and become instant heroes in their school. In the end the young Edem and his colleagues won the battle for pride and the right to keep the trophy for keeps.

Schools in the central region have always produced eye-catching displays in the Sprite Ball Championship and once again Mfantsipim has emerged as one of the favourite to win the grand finale in Accra.

They play with so much tenacity, understanding, team spirit and chemistry and it was evident Coach Francis Kumatia and his backroom staff have done a great job with the current crop of players. Luckily for the coach, he will have the pleasure and luxury of fielding an experienced side in the National final on December 22^nd -23^rd at the El-Wak Stadium.

Last year’s bridesmaid Cape Coast Technical Institute (Cape Tech) played a determined game in the one-day competition but that wasn’t enough to send them through after they lost to Mfantsipim 11-12 and eventually bowing to Adisadel 10-11 in their final game.

 It was a solemn day for students of Cape Tech and others as a minute silenced was observed  in memory of the discovery of last year’s competition and a former student of the schools Martin Hoodbroke who died some months ago.

In the girls division, Aggrey Memorial Girls retained the trophy in their category on technical grounds after all the three teams in the group won a game and lost the other.

Aggrey’s Dyllis Achiaa Dumfeh, Matilda Gordon, Kissiwaah Sosu, Hajara Said Asman and Dorcas Opoku proved too much of an opposition for twice National champions Wesley Girls in the opening game of the girls round robin game, killing off the resilience of undoubtedly the championship’s best player Gifty Dedo Nyarko alongside compatriots Coretta Hanson, Emefa Kpodo, Renee Appiah Kubi and Pearl Baffour-Addo in a contest 16-13.

Just when expectations among their teeming fans had reached an epoch stage, Aggrey switched off in their second game and lost 9-11 to Kasoa-based Insaaniya Senior High. The ‘elfin’ looking girls from Insaaniya once again underlined their credentials as one of the powerful horses of the game in the region with a swash buckling performance from Isabella Asamani, Patience Kenu, Comfort Agyeiwaa and Nortey Charity to shut up their fans.

Indeed former regional champions, Wesley Girls bounced back in style in their final match against Insaaniya where coach Ato Micah’s young charges found their rhythm to record 20-18 victory but it was too little too late for them as they failed to qualify for the grand finale for the first time from the region in the competition’s history.

So, seven down one more to go in the 2010 Sprite Ball Championship and the next train will be in the Northern region where 16 schools in both the boys and girls division will battle for honours at the Tamale Senior High on Saturday December 4^th, 2010.

Sprite Ball Championship 2010 is brought to you by Sprite, Freedom from thirst and supported by Indomie Instant Noodles- tastes great and DDP Outdoor. Media partners TV Africa, Graphic Sports, Today’s news paper, Ghana sports news paper and powered by Rite Multimedia- Leaders in basketball development & promotion in Ghana.

By: Patrick Akoto