Sprite Ball 2018: Mfantsipim, Wesley Girls lose opening games
Record four-time winners of the Sprite Ball Championship Mfantsipim School made a disastrous start to the 2017/2018 edition of the basketball tournament losing 45-14 to minnows Osu Presbyterian SHS in their first match.
Advertisement
Last year's losing finalists Mfantsipim failed to recover from a poor start and trailed Osu Presec 15-0 at the halfway stage at the concrete courts of the El Wak Stadium.
Mfantsipim, top seeds in Group A alongside Osu Presec, Keta SHS and Takoradi Technical Institute would be hoping to recover from this setback in subsequent matches while dark horses Osu Presec would have served out a notice to their rivals with their blow-out victory.
Another upset was recorded in the girls' category where Accra Wesley Girls SHS stunned defending champions, Wesley Girls School 23-20.
Scores at a glance;
Osu Presec 45 - 14 Mfanstsipim School
Kumasi Girls 26-15 St Mary's
Aquinas 34-19 St Johns School
Accra Wesley Girls 23-20 Wesley Girls
Pope Johns 36-19 Presec Legon
Opokuware 27-38 Sacred Heart SHS
Nkawkaw SHS girls 17-24 Aggrey Memorial
Wesley Girls 29-23 TI AMASS
Prempeh College 39-23 KSTS
Meanwhile, the defending champions of the respective Sprite Ball Championship male and female titles, Opokuware School and Wesley Girls School are confident of retaining their titles despite the loss of several key players following their triumphs in the previous championship.
Both teams have been hit with the loss of several key players who have graduated but are both still skippered by members of the title-winning teams.
For Opokuware (OWASS) skipper, shooting guard Emmanuel Gyapong - one of the star players of their 27-25 title win over Mfantsipim School - failure to retain the title would constitute a massive failure.
He also disclosed that he almost missed the tournament because of an injury but he has fully recovered and has his sights set on the trophy.
"The injury was a bit serious but by the grace of God and good treatment I am healed now and better than before. I expect to be the MVP but I do not look for it because I would rather have the trophy than the MVP," Gyapong told the Graphic Sports on Wednesday on the sidelines of a clinic held for participating teams at the University of Ghana Campus.
"I want to win and defend the trophy for my school, back-to-back that would be special and we are not under pressure.".
According to Wesley Girls skipper, Emmanuella Acheampong who missed last year's 6-4 final win over Kumasi Girls SHS through illness, winning the title this year "would mean a lot" to her and her teammates" especially if they are able to earn academic scholarships to the university.
She said: "Last year, I wasn't too well and missed the final but what I can say is that we are here to defend our crown because the current team is stronger.
"We work together as a team and have had a great training camp, it would mean a lot to us if we are able to win this title, any added benefit of a scholarship would really blow our minds".
The competition tipped off yesterday (Thursday, January 4) and is due to end on Saturday, December 6 with all games scheduled for the El Wak Stadium in Accra.
Over the period, 26 schools and a total of 312 players will compete for the Sprite Ball Championship trophies as well as GHC 10,000 seed money to construct a basketball court on their school campus.