By Oscar Pilipili in Fort Portal
Laiser Hill and Shimba Hills basketball teams won their ties as Kenya collected 21 medals — seven gold, six silver and eight bronze — to retain the overall title at the East African Secondary Schools Championships.
Laiser Hill defeated Kamenge of Burundi 75-61 in a cracking boys’ final at St Leos College. The Kenyan boys led by inspirational captain Sudi Ulanga displayed skilful game to contain the Burundians.
Sudi was the highest scorer for Laiser Hill with 13 goals, while Elijah Biar of Kamenga had 19.
Shimba Hills beat Lang’ata 30-27 in an-all Kenyan final to win the girls’ trophy on their first appearance at the games. Salma Akinyi scored 15 points for Shimba Hills and Zipporah Khaosa added 10.
Annastancia Njeri of Lang’ata recorded three —pointers and team-mate Annrose Atieno contributed six.
The Kenya champions Shimba Hills trailed Lang’ata 4-9 at the end of the first quarter but, they scored 14 points against their opponents 10 to take a one-point lead at half time.
The third period was hotly contested with the teams scoring eight points apiece, but Shimba Hills maintained their 27-26 lead. Shimba Hills coach, Philip Onyango, earned his seventh straight regional trophy. He had won it six times with Mombasa High who has since changed their name to Khumbar.
"This is sweet victory as it was our first appearance at these games. I feel happy because this is my seventh tgrophy," said Onyango. Tigoi finished third.