Ng’iya Girls High School and St Mary’s School Yala are the 2025 Nyanza Region Secondary School basketball 3x3 champions.

Yala were crowned the new regional boys’ champions after coming from behind to stun St Joseph Rapogi Boys 18-16 in a tense final played at Kisumu Girls basketball courts on Saturday.

The Siaya County champions who were gracing the finals at the regionals for the first time proved every doubter wrong after flooring heavyweights from the preliminary stages to the final.

Speaking after the win, Yala coach Leonard Okuku was impressed with how his boys never gave up despite trailing by two baskets with 30 seconds left.

The immediate former Sawagongo basketball coach believes the school has a lot to give ahead of national finals in Kakamega next month.

“Congratulations to the boys for making the school proud. We really wanted to win despite having book the ticket to nationals after our semifinals win against Nyanchwa.

“The job is not yet done now as we fight for East Africa,” said Okuku. Rapogi will also join Yala at the nationals despite finishing second.

In girls’ category, Siaya County giants Ng’iya Girls retained their title after edging out arch rivals Asumbi Girls from Homa Bay 21-8 in the finals.

Ng’iya saw off Ogande Girls 21-12 in the semifinal to book their spot at the nationals again alongside Asumbi who after gracing the nationals in Term One with their 5x5 team, they will return again after they knocked out Nyakach Girls 14-13.

“This was a revenge win for us after the disappointing defeat during the Term One finals in Migori. We knew we had made it to the nationals but we wanted the regional title more. The push for East Africa now begins,” said Ng’iya basketball coach Naftali Ambala.