Hunt for national titles hots up in Mombasa

**Nairobi's Natasha Seton in girls' 50m breaststroke. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]**

It is crunch time as the Brookside Secondary Schools Term One games enter the semi-final stage this morning at Shanzu Teachers Training College and Shimo La Tewa School, Mombasa.

There will be no room for error as the various semi-finalists look to secure their places in the final as well as book tickets to this year's East Africa Secondary School games set for August in Arusha, Tanzania. Newcomers Agoro Sare from Nyanza will have boys basketball defending champions Laiser Hill from Rift Valley to reckon with as they seek to book their place in tomorrow's final.

In the second boys' semis encounter, Nairobi's Dagoretti High topped Group B after winning all their matches will clash with Alliance who finished second in Group A behind holders Laiser Hill. City boys Dagoretti who are looking to make their second national appearance count beat Agoro Sare 66-37 will be on a revenge mission against Alliance who beat them in the preliminaries last year.

Having sunk 18 points to anchor Dagoretti to victory against Agoro Sare, Akok Akech is expected to continue with his brilliant display. Robert Wanjala, captain Churchill Ondoro and Moses Alier will also be relied upon to deliver the East Africa ticket. Laiser Hill, on the other hand, will have everything to play for as they seek to bag their eighth gong. They will, however, have to be at their best to overcome their opponents who are eying to snatch the bragging rights in their first attempt.

Girls champions Kaya Tiwi from Coast will be under pressure to please the home crowds. They will take on St Brigid's Kiminini from Coast while Buruburu from Nairobi will lock horns with Tigoi in a battle of dethroned champions. Kaya Tiwi won all their Group B matches to top the log while Buruburu finished second to book a date with Tigoi who finished at the summit of Group A.

In handball, a mother of all battles is expected when bitter rivals Moi Girls Kamusinga and St Anne's Sega face off in the girls' semis. With only two tickets to Arusha available, it will be a do-or-die clash for the two sides that have met in the last four finals. The second tie will see St Joseph's Kirandich play Kirigara.