Change set the ball rolling for the establishment of this coed senior high school as Ghana underwent reforms in its educational sector back in 1990.
The result was the creation of Shama Senior High School whose solid educational background has seen the institution from the small fishing town in the Western Region to be ranked among the best in the country as the school holds a first class status. Books aside, Shama also triumphs in multiple sports disciplines making the school a major force in the region.
However, Shama has popularity due to its immense position on the female basketball hierarchy in the country in the wake of consistent appearances at the Sprite Ball Championship over the years. Its female teams over the years have rolled over the male team as it has been successful in making the roster for the national tourney since their debut in 2009.
The Championship which is organized for high schools dotted all over Ghana to compete in both girls and boys divisions respectively, has grown into being the yardstick to measure basketball excellence in Ghana’s fledgling basketball prospects. In the past nine editions, history has been made by a few schools that now have their names immortalized in the annals of basketball.
Shama made its debut appearance at the third edition of the Championship in 2009 when the tournament was expanded to draft in more schools and enhance the competition and prestige.
The side qualified to the national event by becoming the first ever winners of the regional qualifiers by placing ahead of Archbishop Porter Girls and Fijai Senior High School.
Though their male counterparts Ghana Secondary Technical School (G.S.T.S.) won the male division by beating St. John’s School to the title, it was the ladies from Shama that caught the eye of all gathered as they showcased deft touches around the basket but were heavy handed on the defensive side as they stifled their opponents into submission.
For many years since their breakthrough appearance at the event, Shama was unable to make the cut for the latter stages as a series of bad luck running in heavyweights and multiple winners including Aggrey Memorial Mount Zion and T.I. Ahmadiyya prevented the side from qualifying for the semifinals.
All that was on the verge of changing as the side won its opening game and had booked a spot in the semifinal courtesy a walkover win after the opposing side failed to show up on time.
That result was overturned and as a result, officials of the team decided to forfeit the game to show their displeasure ending any hopes of being the first school from the Western Region in the girls division to make the final four.
The sting of the administrative mixup still hurts the team and it is the reason the side is more motivated than ever to make amends come January next year. Buoyed on by the words of the school’s motto “A good name is better than riches”, the tenth edition of the Sprite Ball Championship will have Sham Senior High School’s name up in lights.
