Photo: U18 Champs – Team 24/8
by Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 27, 2024
The Ahmadiyya Basketball League (ABL) concluded its ninth season over the weekend at the Belize City Civic Center with several games played to end the 2024 season.
The 2024 season started in March of this year, with the participation of 50 teams from throughout the country, playing every Sunday at the SJC Gym. The teams were divided into five categories: Under-12, Under-15, Under-18, Under-22, and Females.
Below are the results of the championship games along with the individual awards for MVP, Sportsmanship Award, and Coach of the Year in each category.
U12: Conquering Lions over ABS Hard Rock, 32–25. MVP goes to Arnes Myles (Conquering Lions). The Sportsmanship Award goes out to Bryson Wagner (ABS Hard Rock); and Coach of the Year went to Dianell Brackett (Conquering Lions).
U15: ABS Hard Rock over Falcons, 49–29, with the MVP award going to Julian Gomez (ABS Hard Rock). Kirkland Dawson (Falcons) won the Sportsmanship Award; and Linbert Moody (ABS Hard Rock) got Coach of the Year.
U18: 24/8 over ABS Hard Rock, 45–40, Jason Orosco (24/8) winning the MVP. Augustin Pitterson (ABS Hard Rock) got the Sportsmanship Award; and Roscoe Rhys (24/8) was chosen Coach of the Year.
U18 Females: Club Fenix over Sparks, 23–22. Alisson Avila (Club Fenix) won the MVP award; Essence Garcia (Sparks) snagged the Sportsmanship Award; and Betzabe Manriquez (Club Fenix) got Coach of the Year.
U22: Orange Walk Dream Chasers over City Boys, 45–40. Tayshawn Dawson (Dream Chasers) got the MVP. D’Jon Canelo (City Boys) was awarded the Sportsmanship Award; and Anwar Grant (City Boys) received the Coach of the Year.
(AMANDALA Ed. Note: The name “D’Jon Canelo” rings a bell from around ten years ago when coach Michael “Wataplat” Flowers brought this sensational 11-year-old youth with his Ladyville Jaguars team in the early years of the Smart Under-13 Mundialito at the MCC. D’Jon reportedly later ran into some youth problems and disappeared from the football scene. He is still relatively young, and obviously still athletically gifted. Is there a football spark remaining in D’Jon?)