Kaya Tiwi School girls set for national training camp in Nairobi

Barbra Diana (left) of Kaya Tiwi High School from Kwale County shields the way as Rebeca Achieng (right) of Bura Girls attempts to pass the ball to her team-mates in the girls final basketball match during the Coast Regional Secondary Schools Term One Games at Shimo la Tewa High School, March 16, 2019. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Youthful Medina Okot Mullah and Barbra Diana both from former national girls basketball champions Kaya Tiwi School are among 15 girls selected for a national training camp in Nairobi.

The duo made it to the final list after they emerged among the top during the national Under 17 basketball trials at YMCA in Nairobi beating a record 120 players, who turned up for the trials.

The selected players will further undergo specialised training for three weeks under American trainers.

School Principal Robert Aran said he sponsored the girls so that they could realise their dreams of getting advanced playing skills. “Despite the diffuclt period, Kaya Tiwi managed to sponsor the girls to travel to Nairobi for the trials,” said Aran adding that he will continue nurturing talented students in all disciplines.

This is not the first time the school has produced top class girls for specialised training.

In 2018, the then school’s guard Lilian Ochola trained in Johannesburg, South Africa for a Fiba/NBA-sponsored Basketball Without Borders Africa Camp.

Ochola was the only Kenyan girl at the camp, which attracted 200 top youth basketball players in Africa. The training camp was conducted by America-based National Basketball Association (NBA) players. []