SPRITE BALL 2016: GREATER ACCRA IN FOCUS

A total of 26 schools will compete against each other in male and female division’s respectively at the Sprite Ball Championship.

Lauded as the biggest basketball tournament in Ghana, the Sprite Ball Championship is set to take place between January 3-7, 2016 at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra.

The qualified schools for the tournament have been drafted from Ghana’s six regions with the country’s capital region playing host.

The Greater Accra Region will have the honor of having the most representatives in the tournament. Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High, St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High and Accra Academy will represent the region in the boys division.

St. Mary’s Senior High school and debutants Accra Wesley Girls School will represent the region in the girls’ division.

Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (Legon)

Biggest of a collection of schools bearing the same name, PRESEC-Legon have distinguished themselves from the others by excelling in multiple fields. One major field the school has established a dominant reputation in is basketball specifically Sprite Ball.

The 2008 championship winners have endured a torrid time as they consistently failed to recapture the form that shot them to national and global fame. Conversely, the side has successfully managed to turn around the bad results by making huge impressions in last year’s edition.

Though the legon based side did not win the title, their gallant display earned “alpha-male” Edwin Appiah, a Male High School Player of the Year nomination at the 2015 Ghana Basketball Awards.
PRESEC will hope for title number after the three day basketball extravaganza.

St. Thomas Aquinas

The school’s qualification looked cast in stone right from tip off in the Greater Accra Zone 2 qualifiers. Their first game against a physical Accra Technical Training Center (A.T.T.C.) laid credence to how good the team is heading into the national games by winning the Zone 2 qualifier.

Sharp shooter Ashietey Ollenu was the one man demolishing machine in downing a very good A.T.T.C. side on the back of his sweet three point stroke. The barrage of shots from deep gave Aquinas a 21-7 win.

After playing second fiddle to Achimota, PRESEC and 2015 representatives Accra High School, Aquinas is set to dazzle at Sprite Ball.

Accra Academy

One of the biggest and most popular schools in Accra and indeed Ghana, has been stationed in the doldrums of basketball until now.

The guys from the land of “Ble33oo))” made good on their promise to return the forlorn school back to prominence by making it out of the regional qualifiers in majestic fashion.

After failing to make the grade in the national competition, Accra Academy will for the first time in a long while, represent the region. Renewed commitment from school authorities can be credited for the school’s rising impact in the game.

St. Mary’s Senior High School

The winner of the first Sprite Ball Championship in 2007, St. Mary’s has enjoyed a consistent run in the competition.

That performance was followed by another title run in 2013 that ended in defeat to eventual champion Aggrey Memorial.

Ladies from the Korle-Bu based side was in imperious form as they romped through the qualifiers to be declared regional champions. Expect another championship run from “Merries” next year.

Accra Wesley Girls High School

The school will make their debut at the tournament come January after securing a historic berth in the regional final. Their surprising conquest ended when they fell to eventual champion and powerhouse St. Mary’s.

The ladies will look forward to emulate the feats of defending champions T.I. AMASS who captured the first of consecutive national championships in their maiden appearance at the tournament.

Sprite Ball awaits its latest addition.