Ghana’s Eastern Region is blessed with many resources that have made it a one stop destination for anything special associated with Ghana.
The region has been at the forefront of the country’s rise in education across the West African sub region by hosting a slew of top rated high schools and tertiary institutions in the country.
The high school sect however dominated the educational landscape in the region with the likes of Koforidua Secondary Technical School (K.S.T.S.), St. Peter’s Senior High School, Pope John Senior High and Junior Seminary dominating the male division.
St. Rose’s Senior High School and Aburi Girls Senior High School are the dominant forces in the girls division but one school that breaks the mould, is the coed institution known as Abuakwa State College or ABUSCO. The school has been a force ever since its debut in 2009 during the great expansion of the award winning, well celebrated Sprite Ball High School Basketball Championship.
ABUSCO emerged as a strong force in the early stages of the competition as the side booked spots in the main tournament in consecutive years. By making it to the main championship, Abuakwa holds a special place in the history of Sprite Ball.
Unfortunately, the school will forever tied to the infamous and perhaps the biggest scandal to hit the competition since its debut in 2007. Abuakwa State College made history by beating the much talked about K.S.T.S. side that featured talented players including Emmanuel Ekow Amoako, to lift the regional championship trophy in 2009. The side beat Okuapeman 28-16 and St. Paul’s Technical Institute 23-13 setting up a tantalizing clash with Pope John which Abuakwa won 18-16 in a cagey and highly charged encounter.
The win over Pope John, set up a final clash against home side and overwhelming favorites K.S.T.S. which lived up to everything it promised with an utter show of brilliance from both teams which had ABUSCO produce the same score line that piped Pope John’s in the matchup. Mere weeks before the start of the national tournament, a protest was filed against sharp shooter and leader for Abuakwa Emmanuel Wolff who was deemed unfit to feature for the school at the time.
The resulting decision decision to disqualify the school entirely for the tournament earned Pope John entry into the competition by being the next top ranked team at the regional level.
The school has since struggled to replicate its’ impressive feat in 2009 failing to make a mark and ultimately failing to make the final roster for the national championship games.
Forever haunted by the dark past, Abuakwa is on a trail to find its way back in the conversation of the nation’s best basketball competition and what a way to make a major return to the big league than the tenth edition of the championship which will be celebrating its tenth anniversary come January 2017. For Abuakwa State College, for ABUSCO, the journey to redemption begins now.
