St John’s Junior School and Olympic Junior School from Nairobi region are this year’s M-pesa Jr. NBA national champions after a thrilling final held at the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa County on Friday.
Kariobangi-based St John’s Juniors beat hosts Aga Khan Academy 30-23 to clinch the boys’ national title.
St. Johns booked their ticket to the championship round with a convincing 42-20 semi-final win over Nyanza’s Siaya Central Juniors while Aga Khan Academy saw off St. Joseph RC from Western 66-53.
“First, I want to thank M-pesa and Jr. NBA for giving us such a wonderful platform to showcase our talent. It’s truly amazing to emerge as the national champions. Aga Khan played well, they had a height advantage, but we played a tactical game, pressing hard through their defence to secure the win. I’m happy to be named Coach of the Year; it means a lot to me. I am also proud that the best player came from my team,” said St. John’s Junior School coach Brian Busaka.
On the girls’ side, Olympic Junior School were crowned champions after they lit up the court with a powerful display, edging past Nyanza’s Shelter Academy 19-15 in a tightly contested and thrilling final.
The first half ended in a 7–ups draw, but coach Ezra Alenga’s queens turned up the heat in the second half to overpower their Migori-based opponents.
The Nairobi-based powerhouse had earlier dispatched Central’s Nyamachari Junior in a one-sided semis. Shelter Academy booked their spot in the final after outplaying Western’s Lugulu AC Junior School.
“Western and Nyanza teams were really tough and strong opponents. However, I am glad we emerged as the champions of this year’s Jr. NBA. Our finals match against Shelter Academy was intense. In the second half, we pressed harder and tightened our defence, which helped us overpower them and secure the win,” said Alenga.
In the third-place play-offs, both Western representatives bounced back with authority. Lugulu AC Junior School sealed bronze in the girls’ category with a 38-21 win over Nyamachari Junior, while St. Joseph’s RC beat Siaya Central 41-25 in the boys’ tie.
