Upcountry basketball games for March

The Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) in collaboration with the Liberia Basketball Association (LBA) has set a kickoff date for a pending Upcountry Basketball Tournament from March 13 to 16, 2015.

The annual basketball festival is to take place in the auditorium of the William V.S. Tubman-Gray United Methodist High School in Gbarnga, Bong County.

The government-run Gboveh High School, host William V.S. Tuman-Gray United Methodist High School and the St. Martin Lutheran High School, all in Bong County are to feature in the tournament.

Other participating schools are: Brooker Washington Institute (BWI) in Margibi County; St. Mary’s Catholic School in Nimba County and the Voinjama Multilateral High School in Lofa County, respectively.

Speaking at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Monrovia,  Assistant Minister Murvee Gray, told reporters that the tourney is usually held in November since its re-launch in 2012, but was decided for March this year as a joint festival, having been unsuccessful last November, owing to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.

Ebola preventive measures would be part of a one-day clinical basketball seminar to be held the weekend to the commencement of the festival, Asst. Minister Gray disclosed.

He said the Booker Washington Institute (BWI) defeated the Ganta United Methodist High School 50-47 in 2013 to win the reactivated Championship at the William V.S Tubman Gray United Methodist High School Gymnasium in Gbarnga.

Ganta United Methodist of Nimba County lost the gigantic trophy last year when they suffered similar defeat at the hands of St. Martin High School. 

The competition was initiated in the 1970s to help promote the game among high schools in the central region, which comprised Bong, Lofa and Nimba Counties.