Ian Mariano Sr. All-Star Classic To Bring Belize Civic Center Alive
In November 2020, the sports community was rocked by the passing of Ian Mariano Senior. He was an exceptional basketball promoter and sports personality. He was featured in our newscast on several occasions in his capacity as PR Manager for the Belize Hurricanes and Communications Officer at the Belize City Council. Mariano also contributed to the development of the Interoffice Basketball League (I.B.L.) which has planned an All-star night in honour of him. I.B.L. is partnering with Reciños Imports Limited, to host the Ian Mariano All-star Classic inside the Belize Civic Center on Friday night. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.
File: May 22nd 2019
Duane Moody, Reporting
This Friday night inside the Belize City Civic Centre, a highly anticipated matchup in the National Elite Basketball League 2019 championship between Mirage Smart Hurricanes and the San Pedro Tigersharks takes place. As the island team takes on the defending champions, the Hurricanes have been training and preparing for the showdown.
Ian Mariano Sr.
Ian Mariano Sr., PR & Marketing Manager, Mirage Smart Belize Hurricanes
“What is happening here is what happens behind the scenes to help create that championship mentality to ensure that we can deliver what the city deserves which is another win, which is another win, which is what we need to do in order to secure this championship from 2019.”
Basketball enthusiast and communications personnel Ian Mariano Sr. died of COVID-19 in November 2020. His untimely passing sent shockwaves across the sporting community. His contribution to the promotion of basketball in Belize has been widely recognized, particularly his work with the National Elite Basketball League and the Interoffice Basketball League.
Winder Ellington
Winder Ellington, Director, Benny’s I.B.L
“I think, I myself is still going through the processing part of it. It is unbelievable. There is no way I could explain why my brother is not on my right side right now.”
Winder Ellington is the Director of the ongoing Benny’s Interoffice Basketball League. He was also a long-time friend of Mariano and his partner in developing the IBL.
Ian Mariano Sr.
Winder Ellington
“Ih just tough and ih tough and I think it will forever be tough whenever we come together as a unit now to promote basketball every year. Every year he is always the first person we talk about and he keeps on, his name is on our thoughts, his name is in our mouths, and that is the first person we talk about before we start anything.”
In his memory, the IBL will be hosting the Ian Mariano Sr. All-star Classic on Friday night inside the Belize Civic Center. With the return of the league in 2022, following a pause due to COVID-19, the all-star night promises to be the highlight of the regular season.
Winder Ellington
“It starts with the Boulevard Store skills challenge. The skills challenge is all about all the point guards coming together and competing against each other within a certain time and the person with the best time will be the person to be crowned the skills challenge winner. From there after we have the three points shoot out. The three point shootout is as spectacular as the skills challenge. You find that, like yourself when you were at some for the games, you see where some of these three point shots help a team advance or win a game at a right time. Thereafter, not the first time but one of the main events is the slam dunk. The Prestige Auto Sale slam dunk and I must say that the Prestige Auto Sale Slam Dunk is something the fans is going to enjoy because the players that are in it they showed what they needed to show in order to be in this slam dunk. After the slam dunk contest we have the classic, the All-star Classic. Clency Lopez and Francis Arana being the two persons who topped the voting, they are both from St. Martins Area, they are basically from the same areas, but when it comes to being on the basketball court, dah either you respect me or I respect you or we nuh wah respect each other, because they have that game to bring to each other.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
