Action between Asumbi Girls (in blue bibs) and Oyugi Ogango during the Nyanza final/ANGWENYI GICHANA
Asumbi Girls return to the national championships for the first time since 2007, when they reached the final but lost 35-28 to Shimba Hills.
Asumbi secured their place at the national championships after edging three-time national champions Oyugi Ogango 34-31 in a thrilling Nyanza regional final at Homa Bay High School last month.
“The competition at nationals will be tough, but the girls are equal to the task and will challenge for glory,” said Odongo.
He said the team wants to prove that eliminating three-time national champions Oyugi Ogango at the regional championships was no fluke.
“The girls are ready for the national championships. We are not pushovers because we beat three-time national champions Oyugi Ogango,” said Odongo.
Asumbi have been drawn in a challenging Pool A, dubbed the 'group of death', alongside Rift Valley's Andersen Mixed, Western region regulars Bukokholo Girls Secondary and Eastern region champions Moi Girls Kibwezi.
Commenting on the draw, Odongo said: “I know some of the teams, including Bukokholo Girls and Andersen Mixed. The girls must work even harder, just as they did at the regional championships. This is a project we started three years ago, and we want to see it through to the East Africa championships.”
Three-time national champions Kaya Tiwi will be hoping to reassert their dominance. Coached by veteran tactician Phillip Onyango, Kaya Tiwi won national titles in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
The Coast giants headline Pool B, which also features Central region champions Kinale Girls, Nairobi region's Raila Education Centre and North Eastern region's Hon DM Amin.
Onyango has won 19 national netball titles with Mombasa High, Shimba Hills and Kaya Tiwi.
He is targeting his 20th national title in Thika. Since joining Kaya Tiwi in 2020, the school has reached every final except in 2022.
“This championship is unpredictable. Everybody trains from the beginning of the year targeting the national crown. As Kaya Tiwi, we are going for the national trophy,” said Onyango, who is also a renowned basketball coach.
“We are in a good group. We want to top the pool and then face the second-placed team from Pool A,” he added.
The KSSSA National Term Two Championships will be held at MPesa Foundation Academy in Thika, Kiambu County, from August 2 to 6.
The top three teams will qualify for the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSA) Games in Morogoro, Tanzania, from August 12 to 23.
