Prempeh College have not disappointed since they entered the race in the Sprite Ball Championship in Ghana.
Schools in the Ashanti region were admitted into the prestigious competition in 2009 and they have never looked back, following suit with swash-buckling performances that has got fans on the edge.
The Kumasi-based school thrilled fans with fine performances at the 5th anniversary of the championship at the Aviation Social Centre in 2011 last year’s blistering beat at the same venue.
They have shared the title with their sworn-rivals Opoku Ware School (Owass) with each winning ones in the Ashanti regional qualifiers and making them the usual suspect in the national final.
Players of Prempeh couldn’t hold themselves after beating KSTS in the 2010 finals. Indeed it is remarkable the kind of talents that have pass through the hands of controversial boss Yaw Broni. You may hate him or like him for his character, antics and no-nonsense approach, but Prempeh College’s coach has made his team thick and continues to attract the headlines for the many right or wrong reasons. If for nothing at all, he has been able to craft a side that has performed creditably well since they were ‘inducted’ into the competition some three years ago.
The high level of interest shown by authorities at the school deserved commendation and one I fancy will yield positive results at the national level in a matter of time.
Basketball as we all know is a game of artistic expression but also demanding will power sometimes and that what Prempeh has brought to the table since 2009.
The likes of Okyere, Manry, Zugah, Aboagye, Baafi, Owusu, Biney, Akrasi, Basta, Amponsah and Emmanuel Mobila have formed a solid-rock partnership over the past few years and the sky will surely be the limit for them.
For instance, Baafi’s pace, tackling and engineer works in the centre of the court was amazing to watch and given the fact he’s young, he could explode into the limelight with serious training and determination.
The defensive minded foes created havoc at both end of the court, picking pocket, pulling in boards, making buckets and making numerous shots for teammates at the 2012 edition of the championship at the Aviation Social Centre.
They made a mockery of twice-Western regional champs, Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS), thrashing them 42-18 at the quarter-finals stage.
They were however made to swallow a bitter pill when Keta Senior High found their rhythm and touch to annihiliate them 43-23 at the semi-final stage and once again their controversial figure coach Yaw Broni was at his usual best, raising issues with every refereeing decision on the court.
But that was not enough as their desire to win the title was crushed by the Volta regional champions. They subsequently lost the plot in the third-place play off against Koforidua Secondary Technical School who beat them 30-22 to earn a fourth spot. They may have not achieved their dream in 2013 but surely they’ll live to fight another day.
