Benny’s Hurricanes Looking to Win Third B.E.B.L. Title
On Monday night, we told you about the return of the Belize Elite Basketball League. During the opening weekend, three teams came out on top. The Benny’s Hurricanes is one of those teams. We visited them during practice on Monday night at the Belize City Civic Center where we found out more about the team ahead of Friday’s highly anticipated matchup against the San Pedro Tiger Sharks. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Two-time NEBL Champions, Benny’s Belize Hurricanes areoff to a strong start in the 2023 BEBL season. They won their first game of the season on Saturday night against the Punta Gorda Panthers in Punta Gorda Town. We caught up with them on their home court in Belize City where they were preparing for Friday night’s match up against three-time NEBL champions San Pedro Tiger Sharks.
Terry Gordon
Terry Gordon, Public Relations, Benny’s Hurricanes
“We have spared no expense this year in terms of going for the best available talents. We even brought back our team leader Jamil Harris who was our leading scorer and rebounder three years ago. So, we figured that Jamil has to be a part of the team this time around and we could see him warming up. Last Saturday night we were in Punta Gorda playing the Panther and that was a blow out, ninety to sixty nine. Quickly sharing some of the stats for that game, we had Kris Frazier who had twenty two points and thirteen rebounds, Alex Carcamo who is no stranger to Belizeans, fifteen points and seven rebounds, Clency Coope Lopez, our point guard, extraordinaire, arguably the best point guard in the land. He had fifteen points and four assist. So, these are just some of the players who contributed very big, including a Belizean-American.”
We also got a chance to speak with a few of the players during their practice session. Kris Frazier is playing in the BEBL for his third season. He played two season with the San Ignacio based, Western Ballaz.
Kris Frazier
Kris Frazier, Basketball Athlete, Benny’s Hurricanes
“It is really similar with how I bring my mindset to the game. It don’t matter what area I am in, I am gonna do my job and do what I will do. Do not matters what area you are you are suppose to just play basketball and just play so. So, I played there two years and it was just good fans and good people. Same thing here, it is just good fans and good people. So, nothing changed, just go play your game out there.”
And, there is Alex Carcamo. He is a professional basketball player born in Los Angeles, California. Carcamo. He has won a gold medal with the Belize National Basketball team. Carcamo stands at a height of six feet, eight inches.
Alex Carcamo
Alex Carcamo, Basketball Athlete, Benny’s Hurricanes
“Won a gold medal in 1998 with Belize, won a gold medal with Belize in 2002, won a silver medal in 2010, played professionally for seventeen years and still going. I played everywhere, China, Korea, Philippines, Israel, Argentina, Spain, France, Argentina, Uruguay, and Venezuela, probably missing some others. The team, we are strong. We are a lot stronger than I think Belize has ever seen a team. So it is going to be exciting. The dynamic of the team, everybody is super friendly. Basketball is a language actually, so it is not too much. They respect everything I am saying so that is a good thing. And, I am just going to try and keep us level headed.”
Newcomer, American Victor Evans is married to a Belizean. This is his first season in the BEBL. He told us about his decision to play in Belize.
Victor Evans
Victor Evans, Basketball Athlete, Benny’s Hurricanes
“My father-in-law has a good relationship with Dr. Paul and they just ended up chopping it up one day and he said my son-in-law plays and showed him my highlights and that how it happened really, just conversation.”
Paul Lopez
“What is your impression of the league so far here in Belize?”
Victor Evans
“I got to see the Defenders and Griga play. That was a good game. Really active and physical, I like how physical it is out here. Um, same thing up in PG it was a physical game. We had control over it all the time, but it was a physical game, so.”
Clency “Coope” Lopez is no stranger to basketball in Belize, as arguably one of the best Belizean point guards currently competing. He is playing his third season with the Benny’s Hurricanes.
Clency Coope Lopez
Clency Coope Lopez, Basketball Athlete, Benny’s Hurricanes
“The connection, dah just the connection through the basketball. Basketball brings yo a lot of people you could know through basketball. So, ih good.”
Paul Lopez
“Tell me a bit about Saturday night’s game and what contributed to that victory?”
Clency Coope Lopez
“Team work, defense, transition, yeah Saturday we mih want it so we gawn for it.”
Paul Lopez
“Now, I would imagine you have to bring out that same energy Friday night, because you like many of your guys know what you are up against when you go up against the San Pedro Tiger Sharks. Tell us what fans can expect.”
Clency Coope Lopez
“Well we have it is a rival between we and Pedro. So, I think the fans wah come out and see and amazing game.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
