Basketball giants Tigoi, Shimba Hills clash in opener
Daisy Ayodi (in green) of Tigoi girls battles for the ball with Lyne Salim of St Brigid girls secondary Kiminini girls during the Nzoia Region Secondary Schools Sports Association championship. Tigoi won 53-47. Photo/CORRESPONDENT
Former champions Tigoi Girls take on bitter rivals Shimba Hills from Coast in what is expected to be a tough Pool B basketball opening match as the national secondary schools Term One Games get underway on Monday in Mombasa.
Tigoi, who missed the national championships last year for the first time in over a decade after losing to St Brigid’s Kiminini, have veteran coach Peter Ochara to thank for their return.
The former Kenya Posta and national women’s team coach plotted Tigoi’s comeback as they revenged against St Brigid’s in the Nzoia regional championships at Eregi Teachers College. Tigoi hope to recapturing their lost glory.
It will therefore be interesting to see how they will play the battle-hardened Shimba Hills, who are both the national and regional champions. Shimba Hills are keen to win the trophy for the third year in a row.
Ochara on Monday said the hostile Coastal weather will be a major challenge.
“My girls are happy to be back after missing last year’s nationals and have vowed to pick it up from where they left despite stiff challenge expected from champions Shimba Hills,” Ochara said.
Tigoi will be captained by Samba Barbra as Esther Samba leads Shimba Hills.
