BELIZE CITY, Mon. May 22, 2023

The Belize Elite Basketball League (BEBL) has not officially addressed reports that the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes have declared that they will play the San Pedro Tiger Sharks in a game that just last week Friday the league had declared was a forfeit and, as a result, had declared the Orange Walk Running Rebels to be the regular season champion and the number 1 seeded team in the upcoming playoffs.

It is reputed that at an emergency meeting of team owners and the League Commissioner at last weekend’s All-Star festivities in Dangriga, the Hurricanes made the demand, and a decision could again reset the standings but delay the start of the playoffs which the League and 2 teams have already begun advertising for this weekend.

The BEBL continues to fail at properly communicating decisions to the media so that, at press time today AMANDALA can only report what our sources are telling us.

At press time today, the BEBL has also failed to even report on the outcome of its All-Star Game and competitions. Social media posts suggest that Hurricanes player Tyrie “Harlem Kid” Orosco was the game’s MVP, but no official announcement or statistics have yet been released as of press time.

Our sources are also reporting that the Belize City Defenders have reiterated its position that it is willing to replay their disputed game with the Orange Walk Running Rebels if their transportation, payroll and other expenses are paid in advance.

It is their view that the BEBL arbitrarily canceled the replay directed by the Disciplinary Committee and then declared that cancellation a forfeit.

The declared winner of a forfeit gets 2 points under the BEBL points system, while the forfeiting team is not awarded any points; in other words, they forfeit both match and the point normally awarded to the loser of games. If the games are played, the entire playoff schedule of who plays who, when and where, would have to change depending on the results.