BELIZE CITY, Thurs. June 22, 2023

In his letter to Belize Elite Basketball League (BEBL) Commissioner Chris McGann on Wednesday of this week, the Disciplinary Committee said that after reviewing the available facts in regards to an in-game altercation between two San Pedro Tiger Sharks players, it was ruling that both were suspended for the minimum penalty of 2 games, as per Article 9.1 of the BEBL By-Laws 2023. The suspensions were to take effect immediately.

The players got into a scuffle in the fourth quarter of the first game of the championship series final at the Belize City Center with 2:08 on the clock and the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes leading 76-60.

On Monday, the Tiger Sharks announced that Ashton Edwards had been removed from the team permanently, it seems, for instigating the fracas. Jamaal Clifton, his erstwhile teammate, is expected to return to the United States, presumably to Conway, Arkansas.

The Tiger Sharks has also announced that they will play the next game, which is their home game, at the Belize City Civic Centre, which is the Hurricanes’ home court. Their home court, the Angel Nunez Auditorium on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has been booked over the weekend for 2 graduations.

The championship series is scheduled as a best-of-5 series, but the Tiger Sharks have never beaten the Hurricanes this tournament, have lost the first game, 84-62, will be playing at least one of their home games away, and are now short-handed and will be missing their leading rebounder.

Clifton is a 6’6″ forward/center. Ashton Edwards is a guard averaging 4.6 ppg in limited minutes mostly off the bench this season. He scored just 2 points in 6 minutes in the game. He had been a member of the team for the last 14 years.

The Hurricanes is not reporting any injuries and expect to suit up a full squad, including their big guard Victor Evans who was ejected in the third quarter of Thursday night’s victory for vociferously arguing a call.