Laiser Hill leads Kenya's hunt for elusive basketball titles

Laiser Hill and Dagoretti basketball players in action during the National Secondary School Games in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on April 29. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Kenya’s representatives to this year’s Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) games that begin on Saturday in Huye, Rwanda have their work cut out as they seek to reclaim the country’s lost glory.

The Kenyan boys and girls will be looking to reclaim the overall title that they lost to Uganda in 2019 when Tanzania hosted the regional showpiece in Arusha. Two years of inactivity due the Covid-19 pandemic would see them play second fiddle to Uganda once again when the games resumed last year.  

That Kenyans were no match for their basketball peers in the past is no doubt going by the year’s that they dominated the games. However, both the boys’ and girls’ basketball trophies have eluded them for years and they are now keen to recapture the titles. National boys’ champions and East Africa’s most decorated side Laiser Hill will lead Kenya’s onslaught at the Huye contest.

Laiser Hill, who return to the regional scene after missing the 2022 games boast of seven titles, are yearning to end their nine-year trophy drought and restore their lost glory. Laiser Hill Rashid Maganga said that they have prepared well for the championship knowing too well the magnitude of the task ahead.

“We shelved celebrations after winning the national title because we knew that we have a responsibility to represent the country well which required good preparations. We returned to training and have enhanced our ball handling skills, strength and conditioning training and embraced better health practices and I believe that our dedication and team spirit will not be in vain,” Maganga said.

Maganga’s sentiments were echoed by coach Anthony Kirimi who believes that his boys are ripe for the challenge.

“We do not take it for granted anytime we are tasked to represent the country and this time will not be different. The boys have worked hard in training and they are ready to put what they have learned into practice and reap from their hours of dedication,” Kirimi said.

He added that they carried valuable lessons from their last championship where they finished fourth behind winners Buddo Secondary School from Uganda, Dagoretti High and Lycée de Kigali (LDK) who beat them 69-82 in third place play-off. Laiser Hill are in Group A alongside Elite High, Entebbe and Mbogo Mixed from Uganda as well as Tanzania’s Juhudi Secondary School.

Kenya’s Dagoretti High and Dr Aggrey will battle it out in Group B with defending champions Buddo, Roleto Secondary School from Tanzania and hosts St. Benardette. Dr Aggrey will be looking to improve on their last year’s second place finish.

Kirimi will bank on Moses Alier, a point guard whose brilliance at the national games saw them outclass Dagoretti to recapture the title they had lost to Dr Aggrey last year. Laiser will also depend on shooting guard Kevin Mugisha, small forwards Maganga and Dynoken Ochieng and centre players Bol Weu and Kei Deng.  

In the girls’ contest, national champions Butere Girls will be hoping to make their return to the East Africa extravaganza worthwhile. Butere return to the games after many years in the cold following a ban in 2019, a two-year Covid-19 break and failure to excel last year.

Chris Odeke's charges are in Group B together with defending champions St Mary’s Kitende, Orkeeswa from Tanzania, home girls GS Marie Reine Rwaza and compatriots Our Lady of Mercy (OLM) South B.

"We are more than ready and energised to prove our worthiness in Rwanda," said Odeke.

Former national and East Africa champions Kaya Tiwi will be hoping to redeem themselves after failing to retain their national title and staging a lackluster performance in last year’s East Africa games.

They are in Group A and will tackle 2019 winners St Noa from Uganda who beat 53-43 in the 2019 semi-final. They will also play Nabisunsa from Uganda Ste. Benardette from Rwanda and Rafiki Foundation from Tanzania. Kaya Tiwi last won the girls basketball title in 2016 when Kenya hosted the games in Eldoret.