KETASCO Sweep Both Titles at KGL Mental-Slam Basketball Tournament in Volta Region

Keta Senior High Technical School (KETASCO) has emerged as the dominant force at the Volta Region edition of the KGL Mental-Slam basketball competition, clinching championship titles in both the boys' and girls' categories in a tournament that combined sporting excitement with a powerful message about youth mental health.

Dramatic Finals Deliver Contrasting Results

The boys' final was a nail-biting affair that went down to the wire, with KETASCO edging out hosts Mawuli School by the slimmest of margins — a single point — in a finish that had spectators on the edge of their seats. The final score of 22–21 capped a tense contest that underlined the competitive spirit of Volta Region's secondary school basketball. KETASCO had earned their place in the final by outscoring Awudome Senior High School in their opening match, claiming 25 points in a 42-point contest. Bishop Herman College struggled throughout the tournament, failing to win either of their matches, while Awudome Senior High School claimed third place.

The girls' final told a very different story. KETASCO were utterly dominant against Mawuli School, running out comfortable winners in a lopsided contest that ended 30–6. The Havio found no answers to KETASCO's intensity, with the eventual champions having already demonstrated their quality in an earlier 24–7 defeat of Awudome Senior High School. KETASCO finished the girls' competition with the highest points tally across all matches — 55 in total. Ola Girls Senior High School secured the bronze medal position after edging Awudome Senior High School in the third-place play-off.

Winning teams were presented with trophies and gold medals, while silver and bronze medals were awarded to second- and third-placed finishers respectively, recognising the efforts of all participating schools.

Why It Matters for Ghana

Beyond the competitive basketball, the KGL Mental-Slam tournament carries a deeper purpose that speaks to one of Ghana's growing public health concerns — the mental wellbeing of young people. The KGL Foundation, the philanthropic arm behind the competition, designed the Mental-Slam initiative specifically to address anxiety disorders and depression among teenagers, a demographic identified as particularly vulnerable.

Nii Ankonu Annorbah-Sarpei, Head of Programmes at the KGL Foundation, congratulated all participating schools while encouraging those who fell short to keep believing in themselves and continue to develop their skills. He stressed that sport is a vehicle for something far more significant than trophies.

"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 explained.

The foundation's commitment extends beyond the basketball court. Mr Annorbah-Sarpei outlined plans to establish mental health clubs and rehabilitate counselling centres in the five beneficiary schools — KETASCO, Mawuli School, Bishop Herman College, Ola Senior High School and Awudome Senior High School — ensuring that students have access to proper support structures long after the tournament ends. He also took the opportunity to caution student athletes against the use of doping substances or artificial energy boosters, reinforcing a message of clean and healthy competition.

The Bigger Picture: Sport as a Mental Health Tool

Ghana's secondary school system has long used sport to build character and discipline, but initiatives that explicitly link athletic competition to mental health awareness represent a newer and increasingly necessary approach. With youth mental health challenges on the rise across sub-Saharan Africa, programmes that bring these conversations into school communities — particularly through engaging formats like basketball tournaments — have the potential to reduce stigma and encourage young Ghanaians to seek help when they need it.

The KGL Mental-Slam model, which combines competitive sport with outreach and infrastructure support such as counselling centres, offers a blueprint that other foundations and educational bodies across Ghana could look to replicate. For KETASCO, the double championship is cause for celebration; for the students across all five schools, the lasting reward may be a healthier, more open conversation about mental wellbeing.