San Pedro Tigersharks are first NEBL champions
The inaugural National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) 2014 tournament climaxed over the weekend with Game 2 and Game 3 of the best-of-3 games championship series culminating with the San Pedro Tigersharks prevailing over Cayo Western Ballers to claim the NEBL championship yesterday at Ambergris Caye.
After the Tigersharks had taken Game 1 the previous Saturday in San Pedro, Game 2 was held at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio on Friday, June 20; and it was the home team, the Cayo Western Ballaz getting the win, 74-67, and pushing the series to a Game 3. Leading the Ballaz in the victory were Richard Troyer 29 pts 17 rebs 4 assts, Kurt Burgess 16 pts 17 rebs, Farron Louriano 16 pts 10 rebs, and Ian Flowers 8 rebs 4 assts; while for the Tigersharks, Winston Pratt had 19 pts 6 rebs, Michael Adams 12 pts 10 rebs, Tyrone Edwards 10 pts 5 rebs 4 assts. The Western Ballaz dominated the boards, 62-47, in this one.
From Friday night to Sunday morning, when the decisive Game 3 was played in San Pedro, it was a completely different story, as the Tigersharks turned things around, dominating the rebound category, 55-46, and coming away with the 60-52 win and the championship. Without the services of the injured Winston Pratt, Tigersharks were led by Ashton Edwards 22 pts 5 rebs 4 stls, Michael Adams 10 pts 11 rebs 5 blks, Darwin Leslie 10 pts 9 rebs, Tyrone Edwards 10 pts 6 assts, and Doug Penland 5 pts 12 rebs; while for the Ballaz, Farron Louriano had 19 pts 12 rebs, Kurt Burgess 10 pts 13 rebs, Ian Flowers 9 pts 6 rebs, but, after his outstanding performance on Friday night, Richard Troyer only contributed 6 pts on Sunday along with 9 rebs 3 assts and 3 stls.
The victorious Tigersharks received the $20,000.00 Belize Bank check for their efforts, while both 1st and 2nd place teams received medals. After the game, it was announced that the Finals MVP was guard Ashton Edwards of the San Pedro Tigersharks. And yesterday, Wednesday, the NEBL revealed that Coach of the Year, “as determined by popular vote of NEBL members,” was Gary Isaacson of the San Pedro Tigersharks.