By Oscar Pilipili
It is action time as Brookside National Secondary Schools Championships start at Upper Hill today.
All provincial champions have arrived here for the show that will see podium finishers qualify for East African Games in Nakuru in August.
Although all matches promise thrills and spills, boys’ basketball encounter between champions Laiser Hill of Rift Valley and Friends School Kamusinga of Western seems to be a special one.
Special because it features two teams that played at last year’s final at Kangaru High in Embu.
But as Kamusinga coach Moses Khaoya puts it, a lot of water has since passed under the bridge and today’s meeting is a new beginning.
Khaoya has lost most players who played at Kangaru and the only notable figure is captain Tylor Okari who single-handedly propelled Kamusinga to fame last year.
Khaoya said: "Like us, Laiser Hill have lost some of their players but they deserve respect because they are the champions."
Under no pressure
Laiser Hill coach Anthony Karimi maintains that his team will not be under any pressure to win at Upper Hill.
"My boys are inspired by the fact that they want to win a tournament is a row," says Karimi.
Players to watch in this match programmed for 2pm are captains — Okari (Kamusinga) and Sudi Ulanga (Laiser Hill) — who are both the cogs of their respective teams.
Nairobi International School (NIS) makes its debut in the nationals with a seemingly easy match against Wajir of North Eastern at 2pm.
Girls’ basketball champions Shimba Hills of Coast start title defense against Central’s Alliance in a match scheduled for 2pm.