Basketball: Top schools benefit from Urbanville Basketball Camp

Urbanville Basketball Camp in Kisumu. [Courtesy]

Students from top basketball performing schools who dominate the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) games in the country benefited from a three weeks camp dabbed Urbanville Basketball Camp.

The 2019 edition which took off from November 18 last year attracted over 50 players drawn from the crème de la crème of basketball schools including KSSSA reigning National basketball champions Laiser Hill Academy.

Themed “Bringing the game back home”, the camps main objective was to develop young talent in basketball by imparting basic fundamentals.

Additionally, the camp offered a platform for universal growth on life skills and social responsibility.

This third edition attracted regional heavy weights in Kisumu Boys, Maseno Boys, Ramba Boys, Onjiko, Chulaimbo, Agoro Sare, Kitale high, Nyangori and Highway high school.

Others include Kisumu Day, Kibabii, Kamusinga boys, Homabay High, Kisii High school, Yala High school, Onjiko boys, Chianda Boys and Ng’iya girls.

Urbanville Basketball Camp in Kisumu. [Courtesy]

Organized by Oliver Nyawanda who plays for Lakeside in the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) Men’s Premier League, participants got a chance to be coached on shooting, passing and dribbling fundamentals and defense.

They also visited Agape Children’s home on January 1 as part of their social responsibility program and donated clothes and foodstuff.

“The camp was a success as the third edition attracted a bigger crowed compared to the past two editions. We are doing this camps to try and help and inspire young upcoming talents in schools so that by the time they get out of school they can continue paying basketball either in the local league or broad,” Nyawanda said.

Nyawanda was assisted by Maxwell Okech, Alex Okoa and Philbert Hongo alongside guest coaches including renowned local coaches such as Ronnie Owino (Strathmore Ladies), Mayienga (Laiser Hill) and John Otieno (Ndeje University - Uganda).

Other volunteer coaches included Moses Wanjara (Equity), Nelson Oromo (Chianda), Ochara (Tigoi Girls) and Erick Nyamasi (United States).

Urbanville Basketball Camp in Kisumu. [Courtesy]

Through partnerships with KCBL and Big Dreams Africa and other organizations in the previous editions, kids have got opportunities to get scholarships to study and play basketball in high schools and universities in Kenya, Uganda and the US.

Urbanville basketball will hold three camps in 2020 - April, August and December. The camps will host guest Coaches from Kenya, Uganda and the US who will scout for talent as well as give more input towards developing the participants.