(Cancelled and possibly postponed): Fri. Jan 27: San Pedro Tiger Sharks vs Belmopan Red Taigaz; Sat. Mar 25: San Pedro Tiger Sharks vs Benny’s Hurricanes (San Pedro High School)
Results and Schedule
Week 11: Fri. Apr 21: Belize City Defenders 105, Punta Gorda Panthers 60 (Belize City Civic Centre); Belmopan Red Taigaz 93, Orange Walk Running Rebels 99 (UB Gym).
Sat. Apr 22: San Pedro Tiger Sharks 76 Griga Dream Ballers 72 (Angel Nunez Stadium); Western Ballaz 63, Belize Hurricanes 82 (SHC Auditorium).
Week 12: Fri. Apr 28: Belize City Defenders vs Belize Hurricanes (Belize City Civic Centre); Western Ballaz vs Belmopan Red Taigaz (SHC Auditorium).
Sat. Apr 29: San Pedro Tiger Sharks vs Orange Walk Running Rebels (San Pedro High School); Punta Gorda Panthers vs Griga Dream Ballers (Toledo Sporting Complex).
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Apr. 27,2023
It is do or die time for 2 of the 2023 Belize Elite Basketball League Tournament competitors this weekend as the regular season nears its climax.
The Belmopan Red Taigaz’ hopes of making it to the 4-team playoffs has all but faded, but they will try their utmost to beat their host, the Western Ballaz at the Sacred Heart auditorium in San Ignacio in the hope of preserving that slim slenderest of hope. The Ballaz are as desperate, if not more so, having recorded their seventh loss, and it is only by winning their remaining 3 games and hoping one of the current top four falters, that they too could make it.
There are no reports of physical injuries on either team’s roster, but this is the phase of the tournament when the emotional combination due to the disappointment from a lack of playing time and dimming prospects causes some players to appear to lose interest.
At press time we are unable to assess the credibility of rumors that the hapless Punta Gorda Panthers won’t be able to host the visiting Griga Dream Ballers as scheduled. The Panthers have no chance to make the playoffs, barring some unforeseen force majeure event, having lost 10 of the 11 games they’ve played.
Griga was stung by a close loss in their last game on the road to the streaking San Pedro, and urgently needs to continue to integrate a new player, Daniel Estes, as they fight to preserve their position in the standings, a 3-way second place tie, therefore will not ease up if indeed the game is played. They also have the distinction of an unblemished 6-0 home court record, but a losing 1-4 record on the road.
The ambitious Orange Walk Running Rebels are also determined to not only to hold on to that cherished second place spot, but to also keep their shot at the top spot. Like Griga they know that finishing in the top two means homecourt advantage in the playoffs where they are 5-1, but have only won twice in 5 outings on the road.
In their bid, they have added Belizean-Americans Leon Jacobs and Leroy Lauriano, both of whom flew to Belize this week from the USA.
Their hosts, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks are riding a blistering 4-game winning streak, though, and know that they urgently need to keep winning, having lost 4 times in 6 outings on the road, but are so far undefeated at home.
They are counting on playing a schedule of 4 of their 5 remaining games at home to vault them into the playoffs if one of the 4 teams above them should falter.
For the 2 Belize City rivals, their weekend showdown has several implications, and both teams have added reinforcements. The league-leading Benny’s Belize Hurricanes has announced the arrival of Belizean-American Nick Phillips, while at press time the Belize Defenders were still awaiting the arrival of Phillip Fayne from Hungary, where he has just finished tournament play there.
It appears both teams will be at full strength and ready for a titanic clash tomorrow night at the Civic by dah Riva.