Nairobi’s St. John’s Junior School and Olympic Junior School have emerged as the national champions of the 2025 M-PESA Jr. NBA basketball tournament following an electrifying final at Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa County.
Kariobangi-based St. John’s Juniors clinched the boys’ national title after a hard-fought 30-23 victory over hosts Aga Khan Academy. St. John’s had earlier cruised past Nyanza’s Siaya Central Juniors with a dominant 42-20 semifinal win, while Aga Khan edged out St. Joseph RC from Western with a high-scoring 66-53 triumph.
Speaking after the win, St. John’s Head Coach Brian Busaka said, “Aga Khan played well and had the height advantage, but we stuck to our tactical game plan. I’m proud of the boys and honored to be named Coach of the Year. The Best Player of the tournament also coming from our team is just the icing on the cake.”
On the girls’ side, Olympic Junior School delivered a spirited performance to beat Shelter Academy of Migori 19-15 in a tightly contested final. Tied at 7-7 by halftime, Coach Ezra Alenga’s team turned up the pressure in the second half to secure the title. Olympic had earlier knocked out Central’s Nyamachari Junior School in a one-sided semifinal, while Shelter outplayed Lugulu AC Junior from Western to reach the final.
“Our match against Shelter Academy was intense, but the girls showed great determination. We pressed harder in the second half and tightened our defense to seal the win,” said Alenga, who was also awarded Best Coach in the girls’ category.
In the third-place playoffs, Western’s representatives bounced back with style. Lugulu AC secured bronze in the girls’ category with a 38-21 win over Nyamachari Junior, while St. Joseph’s RC outclassed Siaya Central 41-25 to claim third in the boys’ division.
Moses Ochieng of St. John’s Junior School and Brenda Akinyi of Olympic Junior School were named Best Players of the Year for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament.
Safaricom, through its M-PESA brand, partnered with NBA Africa to sponsor the inaugural Jr. NBA tournament, rewarding all top three teams with smartphones, airtime, medals, and trophies.
“Our purpose is to transform lives, and through M-PESA Jr. NBA, we’ve offered a platform for young players to showcase their talent while equipping them with financial management skills,” said Victor Odada, Head of M-PESA Payments at Safaricom. “The finals have been nothing short of electric.”
Preceding the finals was the Top 100 Elite Camp, bringing together 50 boys and 50 girls from Nairobi, Coast, Rift Valley, and Nyanza regions. The camp featured skills sessions, scrimmages, and scouting, culminating in the selection of an All-Star team for each gender.
“This marks the successful end of our first edition of the junior tournament,” said Michael Finley, NBA Africa Kenya Country Lead. “We’ve impacted over 10,000 youth through competitive games, basketball clinics, and M-PESA GO’s financial literacy program. The talent in Kenya is incredible — all they need is a stage like this to shine.”
With a successful debut, organizers are already looking ahead to an even bigger tournament next year, as Kenya’s grassroots basketball scene continues to thrive.