BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Sept. 1, 2022
Under the auspices of the National Sports Council (NSC), the National Basketball Tournament 2022 was played over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21, at Mexico Sports Center and the Civic Center in Belize City.
Some 33 teams in 5 different categories participated in the tournament: U15 Male – 9 teams; U18 Female – 2 teams; U18 Male – 8 teams; Open Female – 4 teams; and Open Male – 10 teams.
In a marathon first-round affair, some 25 games were played on Friday: U15 Male – 8 games; U18 Male – 6 games; Open Female – 2 games; and Open Male – 9 games.
The top 2 teams in each category would then clash in the championship round on Sunday.
Below are the first round results from Saturday.
Saturday, August 20 results
(U15 Male) 24/8 over Westside Mountaineers, 63-13. Top scorer for 24/8 – Jason Orosco 25 pts. Top scorer for Westside Mountaineers – Shiloh Williams 4 pts.
(U15 Male) Benque Basketball Academy, 35-24, over Brotherhood Steppaz. Benque Academy – Qiang Zhoa 17 pts. Brotherhood Steppaz – Julian Gomez 11 pts.
(U18 Male) Love Soul Mamba, 61-41, over WASA. Love Soul Mamba – Eliel Landero 12 pts. WASA – Elsnor Rodney 11 pts.
(U18 Male) Dream Chasers, 80-36, over Hopkins Uarani. Dream Chasers – Tayshaun Dawson 16 pts. Hopkins Uarani – Kayden Roches, Vincent Nunez and Keron Nunez with 8 pts each.
(Open Female) Lady Warriors, 37-36, over Belize Vegan Roots Sisterhood. Lady Warriors – Normalee Gomez 15 pts. B.V. Roots Sisterhood – Baoshita Kwatamani 15 pts.
(Open Female) Western Queens, 41-35, over Belize City Trend Setters. Western Queens – Chamique Haylock 14 pts. B.C. Trend Setters – Glenda Torres 11 pts.
(Open Male) Peini Warriors, 59-53, over One Love. Peini Warriors – Arik Nicholas 25 pts. One Love – Raheem Cummings 15 pts.
(Open Male) Tiger Sharks, 67-64, over Belize Vegan Roots Brotherhood. Tiger Sharks – Eyan Rene 30 pts. B.V. Roots Brotherhood – Jason Vasquez 23 pts.
(U15 Male) Young Bucks, (20-0), over Sunset Ballers by default.
(U15 Male) Savage Storm, 21-14, over Assassins Jr. Savage Storm – Evan Wade 9 pts. Assassins Jr. – Jeremy Carbajal and Roy Valentine 5 pts each.
(U18 Male) Car Guys, 92- 28, over Bay Devil. Car Guys – Michael Caceres 27 pts. Bay Devil – Trishane Casimiro 10 pts.
(U18 Male) Stingrays, 29-28, over Belmopan Trojans. Stingrays – Amid Sutherland 10 pts. Belmopan Trojans – Jahvyn Saldano 11 pts.
(Open Male) Independence Spartans, 57-52, over Young Paper Chasers. Independence Spartans – Lisani Lambey 15 pts. Young Paper Chasers – Jaheim Ciego and Kevon Laurie 14 pts each.
(Open Male) Hardrock, 65-63, over Venom. Hardrock – Kevin Hamilton 24 pts. Venom – Joel Montejo 20 pts.
(Open Male) Assassins, 70-63, over Dream Chasers. Assassins – Aaron Allison 14 pts. Dream Chasers – Joshua McLaughlin 17 pts.
(U15 Male) 24/8 over No Sympathy by default (20-0).
(U15 Male) Benque Basketball Academy, 28-24, over Young Bucks. Benque B. Academy – Gevan Canelo 13 pts. Young Bucks – Jorday Cobbarrubia 14 pts.
(U18 Male) Love Soul Mamba, 52-40, over Dream Chasers. Love Soul Mamba – Zoren Deceuninck 20 pts. Dream Chasers – Tayshaun Dawson 14 pts.
(U18 Male) Car Guys, 87-32, over Stingrays. Car Guys – Kentrell Marshall 22 pts. Stingrays – Erwin Reynolds and Amid Sutherland 8 pts each.
(Open Male) Tiger Sharks, 63-51, over Peini Warriors. Tiger Sharks – Eyan Rene 24 pts. Peini Warriors – Arik Nicholas 12 pts.
(Open Male) Hardrock, 65-48, over Independence Spartans. Hardrock – Faisal Ahmad 12 pts. Ind. Spartans – Trevaughn Usher 10 pts.
(U15 Male) 24/8 over Savage Storm, 37-36. 24/8 – Jason Orosco – 16 pts. Savage Storm – Evan Wade 18 pts.
(U15 Male) Benque Basketball Academy over Young Bucks by default (20-0).
(Open Male) Assassins, 69-55, over Tiger Sharks. Assassins – Shemar White 12 pts. Tiger Sharks – Eyan Rene 30 pts.
(Open Male) Hardrock, 58-51, over Peini Warriors. Hardrock – Joseph Sutherland 13 pts. Peini Warriors – Tyrelle Garbutt 15 pts.
Sunday, August 21, Championship results
(U15 Male) 24/8 defeated Benque Basketball Academy, 77-9. 24/8 – Jason Orosco 16 pts. Benque B. Academy – Dylan Segovia, Gevan Canelo, Harold Cathers and Byron Rosas 2 pts each.
(U18 Female) Rogers Stadium Physical Cultural Club (RSPCC) defeated Apex Predators, 78-10. RSPCC – Briah Clarke 19 pts. Apex Predators – Tamia Gilharry 6 pts.
(U18 Male) Car Guys defeated Love Soul Mamba, 59-43. Car Guys – Michael Caceres 20 pts. Love Soul Mamba – Kishawn Usher 10 pts.
(Open Female) Western Queens defeated Lady Warriors, 49-43. Western Queens – Jessica Prom 22 pts. Lady Warriors – Taryn Arnold 15 pts.
(Open Male) Hardrock defeated Assassins, 69-60. Hardrock – Faisal Ahmad 15 pts. Assassins – Ryan Carbajal and Aaron Allison 13 pts each.
Category Team Winners & Awards
(U15 Male) 1st Place – 24/8 (Belize) – 1 year scholarship & package with school supplies. 2nd Place – Benque Basketball Academy – package with school supplies.
(U18 Female) 1st Place – Rogers Stadium Physical Cultural Club (Belize) – 1 year scholarship & package with school supplies. 2nd Place – Apex Predators (Corozal) – package with school supplies.
(U18 Male) 1st Place – Car Guys (Belize) – 1 year scholarship & package with school supplies. 2nd Place – Benque Basketball Academy – package with school supplies.
(Open Female) 1st Place – Western Queens (Benque) – $10,000.00. 2nd Place – Lady Warriors (Dangriga) – $5,000.00.
(Information courtesy Barbara Cadle Lanza, NSC Belize District Sports Coordinator)