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There will be no love lost when reigning Nairobi Region boys’ basketball champions Dagoretti High lock horns with rivals Upper Hill in the final as curtains fall on Nairobi West Sub-Region games at Olympic High School on Saturday.
Dagoretti, who have dominated the region and played at the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) National Term One games since 2018, will be looking to prove that they are indeed the kings of city basketball.
Upper Hill, on the other hand, will be out to show that they may have been down for years, but they are now ready to rise to the top.
Having already secured their ticket to Nairobi Region Term One games that begins on Thursday, the two sides will fight for bragging rights in the newly established Sub-Region.
Enroute to the final, the two sides dominated their opponents, winning all their matches. In the semi-finals, Dagoretti thrashed St Hannah’s 77-20, while Upper Hill edged out Nairobi School 42-39.
Dagoretti coach Hassan Kibagendi said that they expect Upper Hill to come out strong and challenge them.
“They are a good side, and I believe that they want this title just as much as we do and so we expect a tough game. We have prepared well for this year’s campaign, and I’m confident that the hard work we have put in will pay off,” Kibagendi said.
In the girls’ title basketball title hunt, Nairobi defending champions Olympic will face off with Moi Girls Nairobi in the final.
Olympic, who are seeking to secure their return to the nationals, whitewashed hapless State House Girls 48-4 in the semis. Moi Girls, who have been outstanding in the contest, stunned former regional champions Raila Educational Centre, thrashing them 60-21 to book a date with Olympic.
In Nairobi North Sub-Region, boys’ handball champions Highway Secondary School are two matches away from bagging the title. They will today take on Garden Estate Secondary School in the semis to be played at Starehe Boys Centre. Hosts Starehe will take on Kahawa in the second semi-finals duel.
In the quarter-finals, Highway dismissed Mwiki Secondary School 16-7 to book a date with Garden Estate, who saw off Moi Forces Academy (MFA).
Starehe forced a narrow 6-3 win against Ruaraka Secondary School, whereas Kahawa beat Ndururuno Secondary School 11-3. In the girls’ contest, St Teresa’s Girls will clash with Starehe in one of the last four encounters, while Ruaraka will play Micedo for a place in the final.
In basketball, Jamhuru High School will clash with MFA in one of the last four boys’ matches, with Highway facing off with Rafiki School in the other.
St Teresa’s will also be hoping to seal a regional ticket in girls’ basketball when they tackle Pangani Girls while the other semi-final will pit Ngara Girls and Starehe.
Hockey action will resume today with the last preliminary matches staged at Highway and Lenana School. Defending champions Hospital Hill and Mwiki Secondary School will be seeking to maintain their good run and remain on course to retaining their titles.