KETASCO wins maiden Mental Slam basketball competition in Ho

Keta Senior High Technical School (KETASCO) emerged as champions in both the girls' and boys' categories of the Volta Region edition of the maiden Mental Slam basketball competition held in Ho. The competition featured four schools in the boys' category and aimed to promote mental health among teenagers. KETASCO's boys' team defeated hosts Mawuli School by a single point in a thrilling encounter to lift the trophy, with a final score of 22-21.

In the boys' category, 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. This marked a successful campaign for KETASCO, who demonstrated their skills and determination throughout the competition.

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, who had earlier lost 24-7 to KETASCO. This dominant performance by KETASCO earned them the top spot in the girls' category.

KETASCO ended the competition with the highest number of points, 55. The winning teams were presented with trophies and gold medals. The awards ceremony marked the culmination of the Mental Slam basketball competition, which aimed to promote mental health and well-being among teenagers. The competition provided a platform for young people to engage in physical activity while promoting mental health awareness.

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 emphasized the importance of mental health initiatives, particularly for young people who are prone to anxiety disorders and depression. The KGL Foundation's mental health initiative aims to provide young people with access to information and resources.

Mr Annorbah-Sarpei explained that Mental Slam is part of the KGL Foundation's mental health initiative, which aims to promote mental health in educational communities. The foundation plans to provide well-equipped counselling centres in selected schools across the country. This initiative is expected to have a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of young people in Ghana.

The Mental Slam basketball competition was a successful event that promoted mental health awareness and physical activity among teenagers. KETASCO's victory in both categories marked a dominant performance by the school. The competition provided a valuable experience for all participants, who had the opportunity to engage in physical activity while promoting mental health awareness.

Key points

• KETASCO wins both girls' and boys' categories of the Mental Slam basketball competition.
• The competition aimed to promote mental health awareness among teenagers.
• The KGL Foundation plans to provide counselling centres in selected schools across Ghana.