Live Life Youth Basketball Tournament Successfully Concludes

Moving on now to some more basketball action, we take you to the Lopez Mateo Park in King’s Park for the finals of the Live Life Youth Basketball Tournament 2022. The Ministry of Home Affairs and Sprite teamed up earlier this year to give young men from communities across Belize City and surrounding villages an outlet to express themselves through basketball.  This year’s tournament began with eighteen teams. And as the cream rises to the top, so did the top four teams. Team Police fought it out against the Hattieville Underdogs for third place. At the end of game one, team police was arrested and charged for its inability to overcome the bark and bite of the massive underdogs. Hattieville Underdogs secured the third place trophy and a monetary prize of one thousand dollars. In the fight for first place were teams Hard Rock Boyz from the Antelope Street Extension Area and the Complex Titans. Fans witnessed a nail-biting fourth quarter after Complex Titans rebounded from a twenty- five point deficit and gained the lead. But, in the end it was the Hard Rock Boyz who walked away with the title of champions, the first place trophy, and a monetary prize of fifteen hundred dollars.  Complex Titans walked away with the second place trophy and twelve hundred dollars. We spoke with Douglas Hyde, the organizer of the tournament, following the matchups.

Douglas Hyde

Douglas Hyde, Tournament Organizer, B.P.D.

“I must say, I must applaud all these teams who really showed over the last twenty-two weeks their work, dedication and commitment. I could remember earlier in the year when we sat down with them in discussion of how we would start this tournament, I told them we would give to them, but they need to give back, meaning if they keep the peace this tournament would literally push. Five months and change later we see teams have held it down. We have seen great discussions, and communication with these guys. In fact I have heard that there are meetings that are held with these guys, without protection and police and that are a big big step.”