St. John’s and Olympic JSS secures Titles at Inaugural M-PESA Jr NBA

St. John’s Junior Secondary School (JSS) from Korogocho and Kibera’s Olympic JSS were crowned champions at the first-ever M-PESA Jr. NBA Nairobi Edition, following two days of intense basketball action.

St. John’s JSS secured the Boys’ title after a hard-fought 16-13 victory over Olympic JSS in a tightly contested final at the Sabis International School Basketball Arena.

Byron Onyango of St. John’s set the tone with an early two-pointer, with Olympic’s Antony Onyango keeping the pressure on as the first half ended 9-7.

Despite Olympic’s second-half push, St. John’s held firm to claim the championship.In the Girls’ final, Olympic JSS delivered a dominant performance, overpowering St. John’s JSS 25-3.

Coach Ezra Alenga’s team controlled the game from the start, finishing the first half 13-3 and shutting out St. John’s 12-0 in the second half.

“This is a historic moment for us,” said Cecilia Amimo of Olympic JSS. “We knew the competition would be tough, but our hard work and consistency paid off. Receiving a smartphone from Safaricom was a surprise and a huge motivation. Tournaments like this will definitely inspire more young players to dream big.”

St. John’s JSS Head Coach Brian Busaka praised the tournament’s impact.

“This has been a great experience for our players, especially those who have never played in such high-quality facilities. Our opponents were tough, but we played a tactical game that led us to victory. We also appreciate the financial literacy lessons provided by the M-PESA team, which are crucial for these young talents.”

As part of their triumph, players from both winning teams received smartphones and airtime, courtesy of Safaricom M-PESA.

“The Nairobi edition has been amazing, witnessing a huge number of players from all walks of life. We are not only exposing their talents to the world but also equipping them with essential financial management skills.”Victor Odada, Head of M-PESA Payments at Safaricom, highlighted the tournament’s impact.

“We aimed for 400 players, but the turnout exceeded expectations, with over 500 participants. The level of talent shown, despite some schools lacking proper basketball facilities, highlights Kenya’s immense potential.”said Michael Finley, NBA Africa – Kenya Country Lead.

Makini School and Harambee JSS took third and fourth place in the Boys’ category, while Daima and Chrisco JSS finished third and fourth in the Girls’ division.

The tournament featured 550 players from 40 teams representing 24 schools across Nairobi.

The top 16 boys and girls from each region will attend an elite top 100 camp at Aga Khan Academy, Mombasa, in April.With the Nairobi edition complete, the M-PESA Jr. NBA tournament heads to Mombasa on March 8–9, 2025.

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