St Mary’s School Yala’s basketball team returns to the Siaya County Secondary Schools Sports Association for the first time since 2016.
Yala humbled Nyanza regional defending champions Sawagongo High 113-68 in the Gem Yala Sub-County championships to seal the ticket to the county championships.
The county championships will be held at Ugenya High from March 4 to 6. Yala and Sawagongo will, however, proceed to the county games.
Coach Leonard Okuku, however, said the game was the worst they have played this year.
“There were many turnovers, and the boys did not defend. The result could have been more than 160. We have now turned our focus on the county title,” said Okuku, who led Sawagongo to regional glory before transferring to Yala.
Okuku further said his target is to lift the national trophy. “At the county and regional levels, we want to beat all the teams by over 100 baskets. At the regional level, the only team that can stress us is Ringa Boys because it’s the only team that I have not watched.”
He said friendly games against Kenya Academy of Sports champions, Friends Schools Kamusinga, Sigalamae, and Xavier School have boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the county and regional showpiece.
“We have a strong, hardworking, and talented team that is ready to face any school in the country. This is the year of Yala to lift all the trophies from Sub-County to the national level,” he added.
Yala, popularly known as the Black Saints, also bagged the rugby 15s, hockey, and handball titles. In rugby 15s, the former Nyanza champions defeated Sawagongo 55-3 in a one-sided encounter, while in handball, Yala saw off Maliera 35-26.
Elsewhere, Nyanza regional girls’ hockey champions Ng’iya Girls thrashed Mbaga Secondary 16-0, qualifying for the Siaya County championships. Ng’iya’s basketball team also stormed the county games after wins over Obambo and Mbaga.
In the opening game, Ng’iya coached by Naftali Ambala, walloped Obambo 75-23 and thrashed Mbaga 73-3.
