B.E.B.L. Is In Playoffs Mode, Stann Creek Claims U-20 Men’s Championship
Goodnight and welcome to another edition of Sports Monday, I am Paul Lopez. We are now in week four of the William Dawson Sprite/Digi Youth Basketball Tournament 2023. This week’s matchups took us to Hattieville where a total of seven games were played. We start with the first game of the day between the dynamic Kraal Road Boyz and the skillful Rockville Hardknocks.
The starting whistle blows and it’s Kraal Road Boyz with the first possession. A three-point attempt misses. The rebound goes to Rockville Hardknocks. On the other end, Rockville number nine goes in strong for the drive, misses the easy layup. Ball is rebounded and tossed to the other end of the court for a quick and easy layup. On this play, number nine creates the screen and the space inside, as his teammate is double teamed. He gets the pass on the inside for an easy bucket. Here again, Rockville’s defense is fast asleep as the ball is tossed over to number eleven who catches his own rebound off the missed layup and banks the second attempt points.
In the second quarter, the ball is in Kraal Road Boyz’ possession. Number one dribbles to the free throw line and shoots. It bounces off the rim. His teammate collects the rebound and makes it count. An easy steal here for Kraal Road and they are able to capitalize on the play. In the third quarter, Kraal Road Boyz continues to dominate the game, but here is a beautiful play under the rim by Rockville. In the fourth and final quarter, Rockville is showing fatigue as number ten for Kraal Road goes to the rim and draws three defenders leaving his teammate under the rim wide open for the bucket. That game ended thirty-nine to twenty-seven points in favor of Kraal Road Boyz. They dominated the rebounds, had more second chance points and less turnovers throughout the course of the match.
The dominant 501 Falcons took on Cassava Youths in game two. The starting whistle is blown and the ball is quickly taken to the rim, passed out, shot attempt and a miss, 501 Falcons’ Raymond Gongora with the rebound. Here is number eleven for Cassava Youths with the ball at the three point line. He fires off and that is money. On the other end, Luwani Cayetano goes in for the drive. Gongora gets the pass and powers his way up to the rim for the basket. Here is another three point attempt from Cassava Boys, bounces off the rim. The ball gets into the hands of number two, Justin Bailey, on the fast break. He makes it look effortless.
Starting off the second quarter, Bailey throws in the ball to Hemmans, it gets inside to Gongora who is unstoppable under the rim. He makes the bucket and he draws the foul. Here is a beautiful pass from Bailey to Gongora at the free throw line. Gongora, with another two points on the score board. 501 Falcons is up in the third quarter. Here Luwani Cayetano slips and takes a hard fall. The ball is turned over and a beautiful bucket is made on the other end. Bailey with the pass to Tench, Tench passes back to Bailey in the paint. And he drives in through standing cones for the layup. On this play Cayetano passes from half court to Hemmans under the rim. Number seven for Cassava Boys reads the pass and executes a solid block that was heard around the village.
But in the end, 501 Falcons flew above Cassava Boys to take victory.
And from Basketball we move into a bit of football action as the Anthony Mahler’s Under- thirteen Mundialito Tournament continued on Saturday. Belize United took on Pickstock. It’s the first of three periods, three minutes into the game. Pickstock kicks the ball from the left corner. It is deflected out to number eleven Jonathon Garay who is all alone. He runs down the ball, faces off the goal keeper and puts in the first shot of the match. Six minutes in, number fifteen makes the pass to Garay on the left wing. He fires and the ball is deflected.
Azaire Gaynair follows behind and launches at the goal keeper but that one is stopped. Less than a minute later, Pickstock thrown in the ball. Garay is right there to intercept the ball. Pickstock regains control momentarily. Quick defensive thinking by Lozano sends the ball back to Garay. He pivots inside the penalty box; the goalkeeper loses his footing, Garay fires and its goes into the net. That game ended two to zero in favor of Belize United.
Belize’s Under –twenty Women’s National Volleyball team is returning home from Mexico after a tough loss at the Continental Championship and Pan American Cup. Team Belize played matches against Guatemala, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Mexico. In all of these matches, team Belize lost three sets to zero. At the end of the tournament, team Belize.
Also, we would like to say huge congratulations to the Stann Creek Under-twenty Men’s Team for winning the Football Federation of Belize Under-Twenty Championship. The MVP award went to Leopoldo Vasquez. He scored two goals in the finals. The Most Goals award went to Daijon Daniels. Carlos Palacio received the Best Goal Keeper Award.
And, the Belize Elite Basketball League is in playoff season. On Saturday night, the Orange Walk Multi-Purpose Stadium came alive with the first match of the semi-finals between Orange Walk Running Rebels and San Pedro Tiger Sharks. The San Pedro Tiger Sharks defeated Orange Walk Running Rebels to gain an advantage in the best-of-three series. This weekend, the Belize City Civic Center will come alive as the Benny’s Belize Hurricanes take on the Dangriga Dream Ballers in their first match of that series.
Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Until next time. Goodnight.
