By Ms Dorothy Fernandes for BISMumbai

Don Bosco High School, Naigaon, clinched the Under–12 Girls Basketball Championship on 3 February 2024 at the Palghar District Level Championship. The team, primarily consisting of the juniors, inspired and encouraged by the Vice Principal and Sports in-charge, Fr Joaquim Fernandes, were ecstatic after their win.

The team dominated the tournament, defeating ACES School, Tarapur, in the quarterfinals with a 30-0 record, while in the semifinal, they triumphed 16-0 over Isaac Newton Global School, Vasai. In the finals, they defeated St Xavier English Medium School (ICSE), Manickpur, scoring six points without a response from the opposition.

The coach, Mr Abraham Thomas, remarked that, on both ends of the court, Rachel Okoh was possibly the most influential player in the team. “She can reach any area on the floor in single coverage with her remarkable agility, power, and ability to shoot over almost every defender. She manages the defence and blocks nearly all shots,” he said.

It is therefore no surprise that Ms Okoh has received the MVP title of the tournament. She is entitled to benefits under the Late Mr S K Krishnankutty MVP Scholarship Award: she will be entitled to a grant of her school fees up to Rs 50,000 for the entire academic year. "I'm happy to have brought joy to my parents and honour to my school; I've worked very hard for this," says Ms Okoh.

Mr Thomas was pleased with the girls' desire to put in a lot of preparation time as well as their passion and agility during the game. "The game has advanced over the past few months, and the team is really focused, with each player putting in her best effort," he said.

Fr Anthony Fonseca, the Principal, commended the coaches and the team for their unwavering work ethic and for elevating the school's reputation. This has indeed been one of the splendid achievements in the field of sports for the institution this academic year.