The weekend sporting highlights

Good evening folks, I am Duane Moody and welcome to this episode of Sports Tuesday. James Adderley is taking some time off, so I am sitting in for him.

It’s week fifteen of the 2014 National Elite Basketball League and the top four teams in the semi-final rounds are Cayo Western Ballaz, Belize City Smart No Limit, the San Pedro Tigersharks and the Belmopan Point Bandits. All four teams will play home and away games in the best of three series of the semifinals. And on Friday, it was Cayo Western Ballaz against Belize City Smart No Limit at Sacred Heart College Gymnasium in San Ignacio. Early in the game, No Limit understood that they were in enemy territory and despite the fanfare from the Ballaz fans, they made their presence known and felt taking every quarter by storm, and maintaining its lead at every quarter. At the end of the game, Belize City Smart No Limits would post the win of 82 to 60 over Cayo Western Ballaz. Belize City No Limits during regular season narrowly made it into the playoffs after taking out Dangriga Culture Warriors in regular season play. But will new head coach Matthew Smiling take them to the win? If the fiery skills hold as shown in Friday’s game, there will be no limit to the Belize City team.

Also taking charge was the San Pedro Tigersharks in their first outing in the semifinals against Belmopan Point Bandits. Tigersharks are the defending champs of the league and all season they have been a serious contender. And on Saturday, they did just that with a blowout final score of 79 to 60 in favor of San Pedro Tigersharks. Is it going to be a case of déjà vu in the finals? Tigersharks versus Belize City No Limits? If both teams stay ahead of the game, they will face off for the twenty thousand dollars grand prize for the season. But don’t underestimate Belmopan Point Bandits or the Cayo Western Ballaz, for both are formidable teams that have played blowout games and are still in the running for the title as 2014 National Elite Basketball Champs.

Looking ahead to the weekend for the second week of the semifinals. On Friday, May thirtieth, San Pedro Tigersharks head to the UB Gymnasium in Belmopan at eight p.m. for their second match against Belmopan Point Bandits. Bandits would need to get a win to go to game three or Tigersharks will fifty percent chance at the title. Then on Saturday at nine p.m. at Bird’s Isle, Cayo Western Ballaz will return the favor and take a trip to the Old Capital and face off with the Belize City based Smart No Limit seeking revenge. So stay tuned to this station for the live coverage of these events.

Turning to cycling scene, Weekend Warriors organized a Sand Hill Life race that saw riders from both ‘A’ and ‘B’ riding a forty-three mile race that would take them from Leslie’s Imports through the Hattieville/Boom Road to Garbutts Farm at mile twenty-five on the Phillip Goldson Highway. There, the riders make an about turn and raced to the finish line at the Sand Hill Police Station. For the ‘C’ Class, riders travelled from Leslie’s Imports to the Sand Hill Police Station for a thirty-six mile race. Top spot in ‘C’ Class was taken by Digicell 4G’s Steve Yearwood in one hour twenty-two minutes fifty-three seconds. Clarence Tesecum of FT Williams second and Devon Lozano of Digicell 4G in third. In ‘B’ Class, it’s Digicell 4G’s Robert Mariano coming in first in one hour fifty-nine minutes thirty-three second; Smart’s Dean Belisle second and Stephen Bisset of B.N.E. third. And in the ‘A’ class, it’s once again Digicell 4G on top. Isaiah Willacey rode in first followed by Geoffrey Waight of Stationery House/Medina’s Jewelry and Digicell 4G’s Kevin Hope taking third place.

Here’s what the sporting scene will look like this coming weekend. On Sunday, June first, the annual Flowers Bank Festival is paying tribute to the historic 1797 public meeting and is putting off a canoe race as part of its activities. The race starts at one p.m. and registration is only fifty dollars. The race is open to all categories including male, female, mixed, masters, juniors, pleasure and intramural.