Hoops Care International became the first school from the Central region to triumph in the season–two of the highly attended Milo Junior Ball Championship on Saturday.
The Cape Coast based school beat Garrison basic 25-18 in a thrilling grand finale at the El-Wak stadium.
Basketballghana.com editor Patrick Akoto reports that the jubilation will go deep into the night judging from what he witnessed at the venue.
Parading young players like star boys Benjaman Sagoe, Kingsley Whyte, Daniel Owusu, Abdul Jamel and Anthony, it was obvious that the side that knocked out defending champions Great Lamptey Mills were in to clinch the ultimate diadem.
Fans winked their eyes throughout the game as the action swung from one half to the other.
The Burma camp based school started the game brightly stealing the ball with cheeky ease and in the process rendering their opponent as mere passengers in the game. They attacked them like a venom and it was clear that the favourite tag on Hoops was about to be crushed. Hoops were too anxious to win the game and that took a massive toll on them as they gave away the ball easily.
But things began to change from the 10th minute of the first half, when Captain Kingsley Whyte whispered something into the ears of his colleagues. Confidence was back and they began to play like a real team. They started to exhibit great passing skills and character and the goals started to flow like a fountain. They took the game to their Burma Camp based counterpart and not even the individual brilliance of Emmanuel Okyere (Garriso Capt.) could help salvage the onslaught of their opponent.
The dignitaries who graced the occasion included former WBC Super featherweight champion of the world, Professor Azumah Nelson, Vice –Chairman of the Ghana Basketball Association, Benjamin Baafi, Brands Manager of Nestle Milo, Ekow Jude Addison among others could not help but applaud the performance of the two sides.
Hoops who enjoyed massive support from the fans won the game 25-18 to send the crowd into rapturous celebration. They have since left for their base in Cape Coast to show their heroic achievement to their teeming fans in the central regional capital.
Great Lamptey Mills took bronze after they beat Ghana Lebanon Islamic School(GLISS) 12-6 in the third and fourth place match. They have promised to bounce back next year and reclaim the title from Hoops.
For their effort, the new champions took home a glittering trophy, 400 Ghana Cedis cash and lots of products from sponsors. Garrison also walked away with 300 Ghana Cedis and products from sponsors while dethroned champions Great Lamptey Mills bagged in 200 Ghana Cedis and products from sponsors.
The 2010 Milo Junior Ball will be highly remembered for it high class branding from title sponsors Milo, its excitement, disappointments and high patronage and it is expected to earn rave reviews in the various basic schools as students get ready for their last week in school before Easter.
Milo Junior Ball 2010 is sponsored by MILO – the energy food drink of future champions with support from Indomie – tastes great, Fan Milk, Voltic, GTV and Joy FM and produced by Rite Multimedia, leaders in basketball development in Ghana.