By Tilda Acorlor
Keta Senior High Technical School (KETASCO) were crowned champions in both the girls’ and boys’ categories of the Volta Region edition of the maiden Mental Slam basketball competition.
The competition featured four schools in the boys’ category and was held to promote mental health among teenagers.
In the boys’ final, KETASCO defeated hosts Mawuli School by a single point in a thrilling encounter to lift the trophy.
The game ended 22-21 in favour of KETASCO.
KETASCO had booked their place in the final with a 25-17 win over Awudome Senior High School.
Awudome Senior High School finished third after Bishop Herman College lost both of their games to Mawuli and Awudome.
The second and third-placed teams were presented with silver and bronze medals respectively.
In the girls’ category, KETASCO thrashed Mawuli School 30-6 in the final.
KETASCO had sealed their place in the final with a 6-3 win over Ola Girls Senior High School in a two-quarter game.
Ola Girls Senior High School finished third after beating Awudome Senior High School. Awudome had earlier lost 24-7 to KETASCO.
KETASCO ended the competition with the highest number of points, 55.
The winning teams were presented with trophies and gold medals.
The Head of Programmes for the KGL Foundation, Nii Ankonu Annorbah-Sarpei, congratulated the winning teams and urged the losing teams to keep practising, keep hope alive and continue believing in themselves.
He explained that Mental Slam was tailored to promote mental health among teenagers, who have been identified as being prone to anxiety disorders and depression.
“Particularly for us, Mental Slam is under our mental health initiative, which is basically to give young people access to information, particularly about mental health,” he said.
Mr Annorbah-Sarpei said the KGL Foundation aims to promote mental health in educational communities by providing well-equipped counselling centres in selected schools across the country.
