Commissioner's Corner | belizehurricanes

All Star reserves announced as NEBL prepares for biggest

basketball event this year

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Sunday, March 13, 2016

All Star Night

The National Elite Basketball League (NEBL) will be hosting its second annual All-Star Night on Saturday, March 19 at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan City. The activities will commence at 7 p.m. with the Wings Stop Skills Challenge, followed by its first ever VIP Wireless Celebrity Game. At 8:30 p.m. the Aguada Hotel Three Point Shootout will get underway, as a new champion will be crowned this year, given that Richard Troyer will not be defending his title. In the All Star game, the South will be defending its crown, and the nightcap will witness the Slam Dunk Contest, as home town baller, Jarrel "Bird" Velasquez will be defending his title on his home turf. The night promises to be packed with great excitement and entertainment. The biggest feature of the night is the first ever live camera in a sporting arena in Belize, with replay of the best plays and shots, as they are transpiring.

Celebrity Game

The NEBL will be hosting its first ever Celebrity Game, with debut from Indira Craig, Chester Williams, Jules Vasquez, Maestro, Mad Bull, Tarun Butcher, Wil Mehia, Harrier Liang, Paul Thompson, TR Shine, Pulu Lightburn, Duck Garnett, Nigel Miguel, Yellow Man Gaynair, Tarike "Soup" Campbell, Kaya Cattouse, Alfred Ayuso, Anthony Mahler, Karim Berges and other big names. You surely will not want to miss out on this great game, as the stars will be out in full force at the UB gymnasium on Saturday night.

All Star Game

The All Star Game will see the North versus the South. The starters were selected by popular fan vote, via Facebook likes. The remaining seven reserves were selected by team managers. The North is comprised of players from Orange Walk Running Rebels, Belize City No Limit, Smart Belize Hurricanes and San Pedro Tiger Sharks. The teams from the South are Cayo Western Ballaz, Belmopan Bandits, Dangriga Warriors and Independence Thunderbolt. The starters for the North are Roger Reneau (Orange Walk Running Rebels), Ashton Edwards (San Pedro Tiger Sharks), Brian White (Smart Belize Hurricanes), Darwin "Puppy" Leslie (Smart Belize Hurricanes) and Gene Myvett (San Pedro Tiger Sharks). The reserves for the North are Gregory Rudon (Belize City No Limit), Michael Bables (Belize City No Limit), Glency Lopez (Smart Belize Hurricanes), Farron Louriano (Smart Belize Hurricanes), Raul Roches (San Pedro Tiger Sharks), Caleb Sutton (San Pedro Tiger Sharks) and Jason Grant (Orange Walk Running Rebels). The North team will be coached by Darren Bovell from Smart Belize Hurricanes, who has a 9 - 1 record.

The starting five for the South Team are Hyram Augustine (Independence Thunderbolts), Elvis Usher (Cayo Western Ballaz), James Ewing (Dangriga Warriors), Macario Augustine (Dangriga Warriors) and Kurt Burgess (Belmopan Bandits). Edgar Mitchell (Dangriga Warriors) will replace the injured Elvis Usher as a starter, based on fan votes on Facebook. The reserves for the South are Jarrel Velasquez (Belmopan Bandits), Ivan Flowers (Cayo Western Ballaz), Winston Pratt (Cayo Western Ballaz), Brandon Flowers (Cayo Western Ballaz), James Milton (Cayo Western Ballaz), Daniel Nolberto (Dangriga Warriors) and Quinton Bowen (Dangriga Warriors). The South squad will be coached by Douglas Smith from Cayo Western Ballaz, who has a 6 - 5 record.

Roger Reneau was 1 steal away from recording the first ever

triple-double in NEBL history

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Orange Walk Running Rebels surprises Belize City No Limit in Sugar City

On Friday night, Belize City No Limit traveled up north to take on Orange Walk Running Rebels at the Orange Walk Multi-Purpose Complex. Both teams struggled as the game began, ending the first quarter even at 10 points apiece. Belize City No Limit led 32 - 31 at the end of second quarter, maintaining the one point lead going into fourth quarter, 52 - 51. However, the Orange Walk Running Rebels was able to record their first home win of the season, 81 - 74, shocking the visiting squad with this upset. Orange Walk Running Rebels (2-4) was led by Roger Reneau who had a solid game with a double-double, scoring the game high 24 points to go with the game high 11 rebounds, while getting 9 steals, to almost record the first triple double in league history. Tyron Baptist tallied 21 points and 3 assists, while Jason Grant finished the night with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Michael Bables was the top scorer for Belize City No Limit (2-4) with 18 points to go with 4 rebounds and 2 assists while Jamal Augustine finished the night with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 dishes. Keith "Superman" Acosta tallied 12 points and 7 rebounds while Greg "Chippy" Rudon finished with 10 points, 4 boards, 3 assists and 3 steals. Belize City No Limit had the 57 - 42 rebounding edge, and also had the 17 - 12 advantage on second chance points. Orange Walk Running Rebels had the edge on bench scoring, 28 - 25 and they led for more than half the game.

Belmopan Bandits finally surging; gets huge win at Dangriga

Dangriga Warriors hosted Belmopan Bandits on Friday night at the Ecumenical College in Dangriga Town, in an attempt to sweep their regular season meetings. Dangriga Warriors had the early 18 - 10 lead at the end of the first quarter, taking a 28 - 24 lead into half time. The home team was able to keep that four point lead going into fourth quarter, where the visiting team gave a final surge. The game came down to key free-throws, and at the final whistle, Belmopan Bandits was able to steal a huge win in the culture capital, 65 - 60. Belmopan Bandits (4 -4) was led by Kurt "Chengo" Burgess who had his best offensive output for the season, with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists, while Jarrel "Bird" Velasquez finished the game with 17 points, 4 boards and 2 dimes. Nick Brown had a 13 - 10 double-double, to go with 4 steals and 3 assists. Dangriga Warriors (5-4) was led by James Ewing who had the game high with 21 points and 5 rebounds, while Daniel "Buddy" Nolberto finished with 11 points and 4 steals, as the only two players to tally double digits in scoring. League leading rebounder, Macario Augustine had the game high 16 rebounds to go with 8 points. Belmopan Bandits had the 42 - 34 rebounding advantage, with a 9 - 0 edge on second chance points. The 5 point margin of victory game Belmopan Bandits a very crucial tie breaker over Dangriga Warriors, given that Dangriga Warriors defeated them by 4 points in their previous meeting.

Smart Belize Hurricanes sweeps season series versus Ballaz

Cayo Western Ballaz hosted Smart Belize Hurricanes on Friday night at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio Town. The visitors jumped out to an early 23 - 12 first quarter lead, taking a 34 - 27 lead into intermission. In the fourth quarter, Cayo Western Ballaz was able to cut the double-digit lead to 4 points, but the visitors were able to pull away down the stretch, to secure the 76 - 67 victory. Smart Belize Hurricanes (8-1) was led by the league's top scorer, Farron Louriano, who had another double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, to go with 2 assists while Leroy Louriano tallied 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Brian White finished with another double-double, tallying 10 points and the game high 16 rebounds, while Darwin "Puppy" Leslie finished with 9 point and 6 rebounds. The top scorer for Cayo Western Ballaz (4-4) was Milton James, also with a double-double, including the game high 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Winston Pratt finished with 21 points, 6 boards and 3 steals. Smart Belize Hurricanes out-rebounded the home team, 55 - 47, while having the 16 - 8 advantage on second chance points.

Belize City No Limit home game stopped by inclement weather again

Belize City No Limit should have hosted Independence Thunderbolts on Saturday night at Bird's Isle. However, due to the rain, the game has been postponed to a further date.

Cayo Western Ballaz pulls off upset on the island

On Saturday night, Cayo Western Ballaz traveled out to San Pedro to take on San Pedro Tiger Sharks, at the San Pedro High School, which is the only place that Cayo Western Ballaz has not won a game as yet. Cayo Western Ballaz started the game with a 14 - 12 lead at the end of first quarter, but the home team, San Pedro Tiger Sharks had a 31 - 25 lead going into the half. The lead was sliced down to 42 - 41 going into the deciding quarter, and with 5 minutes to go, the visiting squad was nursing a 1 point lead, 49 - 48. Key plays down the stretch gave the visitors the 61 - 58 victory, in a much needed win for Cayo Western Ballaz. The top scorer for Cayo Western Ballaz (5-4) was Brandon Flowers with the game high 18 points and 4 rebounds, while James Milton finished with another double-double, 14 points and 15 rebounds. Winston Pratt tallied 14 points and 8 rebounds in the win. San Pedro Tigers Sharks (5-2) was led by Andrew "Bynum" Ortiz who scored 14 points to go with 6 rebounds, while Gene Myvett tallied 13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 assists. Ashton Edwards finished the game with 12 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, including three shots from behind the arc. Cayo Western Ballaz out-rebounded San Pedro Tiger Sharks, 48 - 37, but San Pedro had a huge 32 - 2 advantage on bench points.

Upcoming games

Thursday at 9 p.m. - Belize City No Limit at Belmopan Bandits

Friday at 9 p.m. - Dangriga Warriors at Cayo Western Ballaz

Friday at 9 p.m. - San Pedro Tiger Sharks at Smart Belize Hurricanes

Friday at 9 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts at Belize City No Limit (tentative)

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts at Dangriga Warriors

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Orange Walk Running Rebels at Belize City No Limit

Standings with 5 weeks remaining in regular season

All games can be followed live on our website at nebl.sportingpulse.net, with real time box scores while the game is being played. The website also has all game scores, box scores, players and teams' statistics, along with standings for the season.

Last undefeated team falls in NEBL tournament

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Belmopan Bandits stuns Smart in the Hurricane Shelter

On Friday night, Smart Belize Hurricanes hosted Belmopan Bandits at the Belize Elementary School gym, in a rematch of a thrilling season opener. The home team jumped out to an expected lead, with an early 20 - 11 advantage at the end of the first quarter. At the half, Smart Belize Hurricanes was able to extend that lead to 12 points, going into the fourth quarter with a 63 - 58 lead. Belmopan Bandits was able to cut the lead to 2 points midway through the fourth quarter, and with great end-of-game execution, secured a huge win for their team, claiming the 85 - 83 victory. American import, Nick Brown, was the top scorer for Belmopan Bandits (3-4) with 24 points to go with 6 boards and 3 steals. Jarrel "Bird" Velasquez tallied 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists while Kurt "Chengo" Burgess finished with a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, with 4 assists and 2 steals. Stephen "Muerte" Williams and Kyle Pascascio chipped in with 12 and 11 points respectively. Smart Belize Hurricanes (6-1) was led by Farron Louriano who had the game high with 30 points and game high 14 rebounds and 5 steals, while Darwin "Puppy" Leslie finished with 15 points, 5 caroms and 3 steals. Ty Bradley tallied 10 points and 5 rebounds while Brian White finished the game with 8 points and 14 rebounds. Smart Belize Hurricanes out-rebounded Belmopan Bandits 58 - 38, but Bandits shot 38% from the field, capitalizing on their opportunities, compared to Hurricanes 33% shooting from the field. Belmopan Bandits was only able to muster 6 points off the bench, compared to Hurricanes' 14 points, and had the 18 - 7 advantage on second chance points.

Griga Warriors was ready for battle in rematch versus Belize City No Limit

Dangriga Warriors hosted Belize City No Limit on Saturday night at the Ecumenical College in Dangriga Town, in an attempt to even their regular season meetings. Dangriga Warriors jumped out to an early 21 - 14 first quarter lead, which they never relinquished, maintaining a double digit lead most of the game, to seal the 81 - 67 victory. Dangriga Warriors (5-3) was led by James Ewing with the game high 23 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, while Edgar Mitchell is having his break out season, tallying 18 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Jamir Flores scored 13 points to go with 4 rebounds, 3 assists and an impressive 8 steals while league-leading rebounder finished with 6 points and 12 rebounds. Gregory "Chippy" Rudon was the top scorer for Belize City No Limit (2-3) with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, as he continues to struggle on offense, as the defending scoring title. Michael Babbles and Earl "Bolo" Johnson finished the game with 12 and 10 points respectively. Dangriga Warriors out-rebounded Belize City No Limit 46 - 43, while having the 10 - 2 bench points advantage.

Western Ballaz back to their winning ways as Independence continues to struggle

Cayo Western Ballaz traveled down south to take on Independence Thunderbolts on Saturday night. Independence Thunderbolts play significantly better on their home court, always striking first and putting up a much better fight down south, compared to their road games. Cayo Western Ballaz had a 20 - 15 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Independence Thunderbolts quickly turned things around to take a 43 - 41 lead going into intermission. At the end of the third quarter, the visitors were able to reclaim the lead, claiming the 93 - 80 win. Cayo Western Ballaz' (4-3) top scorer was Winston Pratt who had the game high with 28 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds, while Milton James finished with a double-double of 28 points, 11 boards and 3 assists. Brandon Flowers chipped in with 17 points and 9 rebounds in the win. Independence Thunderbolts (0-8) was led by Alroy Foreman with 22 points and 5 rebounds while Lisaney Lambey tallied 17 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Dominique Guzman and Kareem Andrews scored 13 and 10 points respectively for the home squad. Cayo Western Ballaz dished out 19 assists compared to Independence Thunderbolts 9, while having the 20 - 12 edge on points off turnovers. Independence Thunderbolts' bench outscored Ballaz bench 38 - 21.

Orange Walk falls short in home game opener as Hurricanes continue to dominate

On Saturday night, Orange Walk Running Rebels hosted their first home game of the season, as Smart Belize Hurricanes traveled up north. Coming off a loss on Friday night, Smart Belize Hurricanes were focused and ready to quickly turn things around. Smart Belize Hurricanes opened up an early 25 - 15 lead, which they increased to 40 - 23 at half time. The visiting team held on to the lead the entire game, handily winning 98 - 47. Smart Belize Hurricanes (7-1) was led by Farron Louriano who had another great game with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 6 steals while Glency Lopez posted 14 points. Akeem Watters tallied 12 points, 9 boards and 2 assists while Randy Usher finished the night with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 7 steals and Jacob Leslie netted 10 points. Orange Walk Running Rebels was led by Roger Reneau with 13 points, 6 steals, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Jason Grant posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds while Calbert Carcamo finished with 10 points. Smart Belize Hurricanes out-rebounded Orange Walk Running Rebels 59 - 36, while having the lead for the entire game. The visiting team also had a 25 - 10 advantage on fast break points and a 40 - 14 advantage on points off the bench.

Upcoming games

Friday at 9 p.m. - Smart Belize Hurricanes at Cayo Western Ballaz

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Belize City No Limit at Orange Walk Running Rebels

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Belmopan Bandits at Dangriga Warriors

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts at Belize City No Limit

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Cayo Western Ballaz at San Pedro Tiger Sharks

GP - games played; W - win; L - loss; Pts - points

Cupid had no surprises for Valentine's weekend in NEBL tournament

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Griga Warriors slips again as Smart Hurricanes extend winning streak to 5

On Saturday night, Dangriga Warriors traveled to Belize City to take on the undefeated Smart Hurricanes at Bird's Isle, in a much anticipated rivalry match. Last season, Dangriga Warriors entered the playoffs after defeating Belize Hurricanes in the last game of the regular season. The home team jumped out to an early 17 - 11 lead at the end of the first quarter which they maintained throughout the game, until Dangriga Warriors was able to close the gap to 47 - 44 at the end of the third quarter. However, Smart Belize Hurricanes was able to secure the 70 - 61 victory to remain as the only undefeated team in the league. Smart Belize Hurricanes (5-0) was led by Akeem Watters with 13 points, 3 steals and 2 assists. Brian White finished with another double-double, scoring 11 points to go with 12 rebounds, while Farron Louriano and Glency Lopez also sank 11 points each. Dangriga Warriors' (3-3) top scorer was James Ewing, who had the game high with 15 points, while snatching 8 boards. Edgar Mitchell finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals while Lisbey Castillo scored 12 points to go with 3 boards and 3 steals. Smart Belize Hurricanes outscored Dangriga Warriors in points off turnovers, 20 - 8, but Dangriga had the 13 - 4 edge on second chance points. Dangriga also won the battle on the boards, 39 - 31.

Belmopan Bandits finally stole a game, as Independence remains winless

On Thursday night, Belmopan Bandits hosted Independence Thunderbolts at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan City, as both teams were trying to record their first win of the season. The home team, Belmopan Bandits jumped out to a first quarter double-digit lead that they never relinquished, handily defeating Independence Thunderbolts, 114-43. Belmopan Bandits (1-3) was led by Rhetton Belisle who had the game high 19 points to go with 3 boards, including 5 three-pointers, while Kyle Pascasio finished with 18 points and four three point shots. Nick Brown registered a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds while Christian Rodriguez, Jarell Velasquez and Stephen "Muerte" Williams all scored 10 points each. Kurt "Chengo" Burgess finished with the game high, 14 rebounds and 8 points while Geovanie Lennan ripped 13 boards to go with 9 points. The top scorer for Independence Thunderbolts (0-5) was Hyran Augustine who tallied 16 points and 5 boards, while Arnold Torres and Jason Daly each finished with 5 points and 4 rebounds. Belmopan Bandits out-rebounded Independence Thunderbolts 66-35 and they led the entire game. Belmopan Bandits scored 20 points off turnovers compared to only 6 by their opponent, while they also led in second chance points, 51-26.

Defending champs, San Pedro Tiger Sharks, took a bite out of Dangriga Warriors winning streak

On Friday night, Dangriga Warriors hosted the defending champions, San Pedro Tiger Sharks at the Ecumenical College down south. At the end of the closely contested match, the visitors, San Pedro Tiger Sharks was able to notch the 70-60 win in Dangriga. San Pedro Tiger Sharks (3-1) was led by Raul Roches with 13 points and 2 assists while Ashton Edwards scored 12 points. Gene Myvett tallied a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Andrew Ortiz finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Dangriga Warriors (3-2) was led by James Ewing who had the game high of 15 points, while snatching 7 rebounds and Jamir Flores who sank 12 points to go with 2 steals. Quinton Bowen finished the game with 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. San Pedro Tiger Sharks out-rebounded Dangriga Warriors 35 - 26, while scoring 40 points in the paint, compared to Dangriga's 34 points.

Tiger Sharks silenced Independence Thunderbolts in Mango Creek

The defending champions traveled to Mango Creek on Saturday night to take on Independence Thunderbolts at the Independence High School Auditorium, as part of their two game road trip down south. Independence Thunderbolts jumped out to a fast start, with a 15 - 9 lead at the end of the first quarter. However, by half time San Pedro Tiger Sharks took control of the game with a 36 - 22 halftime lead that they never gave up, winning easily, 75 - 41. San Pedro Tiger Sharks (4-1) was led by Caleb Sutton with 16 points and 6 rebounds while Ashton Edwards sank five three-pointers, to finish the game with 15 points and 3 rebounds. Gene Myvett finished the night with 13 points, 6 boards and 3 assists. The home team, Independence Thunderbolts (0-6) was only able to suit up 5 players, and their top scorers were Lisaney Lambey with 17 points and 5 rebounds and Arnold Torres who tallied a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards. San Pedro Tiger Sharks out-rebounded Independence Thunderbolts 48-30, while having the 32-0 edge on bench scoring, given that Independence had only 5 players.

Upcoming games

Friday at 9 p.m. - Belmopan Bandits at Cayo Western Ballaz

Friday at 9 p.m. - Orange Walk Running Rebels at Smart Belize Hurricanes

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Dangriga Warriors at Independence Thunderbolts

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Orange Walk Running Rebels at Belmopan Bandits

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Belize City No Limit at San Pedro Tiger Sharks

Battle on the island leaves one undefeated

team standing

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Monday, February 8, 2016

Dangriga Warriors slew struggling Ballaz

On Friday night, Cayo Western Ballaz traveled down south to take on Dangriga Warriors at Ecumenical College. The home team jumped out to an early 17 - 6 lead, but in the third quarter, Cayo Western Ballaz was trailing by only 2 points, 39 - 37. However, in the fourth quarter the Dangriga Warriors pulled out all their weapons, to easily get the 58 - 44 win at home. Dangriga Warriors (2-1) was led by big man, Macario Augustine who had 14 points and 15 rebounds, as he continues to lead the league in rebounding. Edgar Mitchell played another great game tallying 12 points and 4 assists, filling in perfectly for the injured Daniel "Buddy" Nolberto. James Ewing clocked another double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Akeem Trapp finished with 9 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists. American big man, Milton James was the top scorer for Cayo Western Ballaz (1-3), as he tallied his fourth double-double of the season with the game high 19 points to go with 11 rebounds. He was the only player in double-digit scoring, as Ballaz struggled to get their offense going. Brandon Flowers and Winston Pratt tallied 8 points each. With the loss, Cayo Western Ballaz is now on a three-game losing streak for the first time in franchise history, with another big game versus Belize City No Limit. With the win, Dangriga Warriors is on a two-game winning streak, behind two huge wins against 2 of the 4 playoff teams from last season. Dangriga Warriors out-rebounded the visiting team, 42 - 36, while having the lead for 38 minutes of the game.

Rain halted game in the city

On Friday night, Belmopan Bandits (0-3) traveled to the old capital to take on the undefeated Belize City No Limit (2-0) at Bird's Isle. At the end of the first quarter, the game was tied up at 18 points apiece. However, Belmopan Bandits took a 35 - 25 lead going into the half. With 9:20 minutes remaining in the third quarter, the game was postponed due to rain, with Bandits leading 37 - 25. This remainder of this game will be played this coming weekend at Bird's Isle in Belize City. The date and time for this game will be announced later this week.

Cayo Western Ballaz got a big win over No Limit

On Saturday night, Cayo Western Ballaz hosted Belize City No Limit at the Sacred Heart College Auditorium in San Ignacio Town. The home team jumped out to an early 10 - 0 lead, and at the end of the first quarter, had an 18 - 5 lead that they never relinquished. Western Ballaz was able to maintain a 20 point lead throughout the game, going on a 34 - 0 run during the second and third quarters. The game was never close, as Cayo Western Ballaz (3-2) won 80 - 59. Western Ballaz was led by Milton James who had the game high with 26 points to go with 6 rebounds and 2 steals, while Brandon Flowers had a great game with 21 points and 8 rebounds. Ivan Flowers scored 11 points to go with 7 assists and 3 boards. Belize City No Limit (2-1) was led by their international player, Michael Bables, who tallied 24 points and 4 assists, while Greg "Chippy" Rudon struggled in this game, netting 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Cayo Western Ballaz dominated the points in the paint, 40 - 26, while also claiming the rebounding edge, 42 - 38.

Smart Hurricanes blew away longest home winning streak in San Pedro

On Saturday night, San Pedro Tiger Sharks hosted Smart Belize Hurricanes at the San Pedro High School, with both teams being undefeated in the early part of the season. This surely was a game to watch, to see which of the two teams would capture the league's attention with a win, and sole possession of first place in the standings. The home team, San Pedro Tiger Sharks jumped out to an early 26 - 12 lead at the end of the first quarter, which ballooned to an 18 point lead in the second quarter. At the end of the first half, the home team had a 45 - 30 lead, which was cut to 7 points, going into the fourth quarter, 78 - 71. This game came down to the wire, as the visiting team was able to secure the 89 - 88 victory, being the first team in 3 seasons to win on the island. San Pedro's 22 game home-winning streak was snapped tonight, as the battle for the #1 seed has gotten more intriguing. Smart Belize Hurricanes (4-0) was led by Farron Louriano, who was in MVP form again with the game high 26 points and 5 rebounds, while sinking two key free-throws with 5 seconds remaining in the game, to seal the one point victory. Darwin "Puppy" Leslie tallied 17 points and 4 rebounds, getting the first win against his old team. Glency Lopez and Akeem Watters finished with 11 and 9 points respectively, in the win. The home team, San Pedro Tiger Sharks (2-1) was led by Caleb Sutton who scored 19 points to go with 4 boards, while Raul Roches tallied 17 points and 4 boards. Ashton Edwards sank 14 points and Gene Myvett finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists.

Orange Walk Running Rebels ran away with first win of season against Independence Thunderbolts

On Saturday night, Independence Thunderbolts hosted Orange Walk Running Rebels at Independence High School, as Orange Walk played their first game of the season. Orange Walk Running Rebels jumped out to an early 22 - 13 lead at the end of the first quarter which they were able to maintain throughout the game, to seal their first victory of the season, 75 - 66. Running Rebels' (1-0) top scorer was Roger Reneau who had the game high with 30 points, grabbing 4 rebounds to go with 4 steals and 2 assists, while Leith Paulino tallied 10 points and 6 rebounds. The home team, Independence Thunderbolts (0-4) was led by Alroy Foreman who was the only player on their team to score in double figures, finishing with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Kareem Andrews, Jason Daly and Lisaney Lambey sank 9 points each for the home team, who has yet to record a victory. Orange Walk Running Rebels scored more fast break points, 31 - 19, while Independence Thunderbolts had the edge on bench scoring, 26-23.

Griga halted the Running Rebels trip down south

On Sunday afternoon, Orange Walk Running Rebels played their second game of the back-to-back, as they visited Dangriga Warriors at the Ecumenical College in Dangriga. Both teams started slow offensively, but at the end of the first half, Dangriga Warriors had a 30 - 16 lead. Dangriga Warriors was able to maintain this lead, winning 60 - 41. Dangriga Warriors (3-1) was led by Edgar Mitchell with 16 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals while league-leading rebounder, Macario Augustine, scored 9 points to go with 12 rebounds. Orange Walk Running Rebels (1-1) was led by Roger Reneau who had the game high with 20 points to go with 8 steals and 4 rebounds. Tyrone Baptist tallied 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Dangriga Warriors had better production off the bench, outscoring Orange Walk 23 - 13. The visitors was the better team in transition, with a 16 - 6 edge on fast break points. The home team dominated the glass, out-rebounding Orange Walk 61 - 38, to comfortably defend their home court.

Upcoming games

Thursday at 9 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts at Belmopan Bandits

Friday at 9 p.m. - Smart Belize Hurricanes at Belize City No Limit

Friday at 9 p.m. - San Pedro Tiger Sharks at Dangriga Warriors

Saturday/Sunday - Belmopan Bandits at Belize City No Limit [date and time to be announced]

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Cayo Western Ballaz at Orange Walk Running Rebels

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts at San Pedro Tiger Sharks

Saturday at 9 p.m. - Dangriga Warriors at Smart Belize Hurricanes at Bird's Isle

Greater parity in league as NEBL teams

make key roster additions

by Karim Juan, Commissioner

San Ignacio Town

Sunday, January 31, 2016

San Pedro Tiger Sharks continues to dominate Ballaz

On Friday night, San Pedro Tiger Sharks traveled out west to take on their rivals, Cayo Western Ballaz, at the Sacred Heart College auditorium in San Ignacio Town. The defending champions, San Pedro Tiger Sharks remained undefeated, as they handed Cayo Western Ballaz their second consecutive loss of the season. The home team jumped out to an early 15 point lead, at the start of the second quarter, but San Pedro was able to close the first half on a 14-3 run, to shrink Ballaz lead 35-31, going into intermission. San Pedro dominated the third quarter, holding Ballaz to only 9 points, as the visiting team took control of the game and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, to seal the 71-59 victory. San Pedro Tiger Sharks (2-0) was led by foreigner Caleb Sutton who had the game high 23 points to go with 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Gene Myvett was huge in the second half to tally 17 points, 7 boards, 7 assists and 5 steals, while Jamal Kelly also finished the night with 17 points. American baller Milton James was the top scorer for Cayo Western Ballaz (1-2), as he tallied his third double-double of the season in as many tries, with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Ivan Flowers scored 14 points while Winston Pratt tallied 11 points, 6 boards and 3 assists. San Pedro outscored the home team, Cayo Western Ballaz, 42-18 in the paint, while getting better production off the bench, 25-13. Tiger Sharks also out-rebounded Ballaz 44-37 while leading in second chance points, 12-4.

Griga surprises Pan at UB; Bandits still can't steal a game

On Saturday night, Belmopan Bandits hosted Dangriga Warriors at the UB gymnasium in Belmopan, as both teams were seeking to record their first win of the season. At the half, Dangriga Warriors was nursing a 34-33 lead and with less than 3 minutes to go in the game, both teams were sharing the lead. However, down the stretch, the visiting team, Dangriga Warriors, was able to hold on to the 68-63 lead to record a huge victory and their first win of the season. Dangriga Warriors (1-1) was led by Edgar Mitchell who had 16 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, while new comer and foreign player, James Ewing recorded his first double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Macario Augustine finished with 11 points while ripping 17 rebounds and Akeem Trapp finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 5 steals, while Quinton Bowen also tallied 10 points and 4 boards. Belmopan Bandits' (0-3) big man, Nick Brown, had the game high with 20 points to go with 5 rebounds, while sharp shooter Kyle Pascascio finished with 12 points. Geovannie Lennan tallied 11 points and 9 rebounds, as Belmopan Bandits is still looking for their first win of the season. Belmopan Bandits has been the victim of a tough schedule at the start of the season, with one more big game slated for this weekend in Belize City. Dangriga Warriors dominated the points in the paint 44-26, while they also had the edge with bench points, 26-16. There were 8 lead changes and 11 times the score was even. The visitors also out-rebounded Belmopan Bandits, 46-35.

Smart Belize Hurricanes is atop the standings at 3-0, with blowout victory

On Saturday night, Smart Belize Hurricanes hosted the new franchise Independence Thunderbolts at the Belize Elementary School gym in Belize City, as the visiting team was trying to record their first win of the season. Unfortunately, there was no thunder in this hurricane, as Smart Belize Hurricanes drowned Independence Thunderbolts, 127-59, setting the NEBL record for greatest offensive output. Smart Belize Hurricanes was led by Farron Louriano, who was in MVP form, tallying his first double-double of the season with the game high 34 points and 11 rebounds, while Brian White had another great game with 15 points and 12 rebounds. The league's leading scorer, Jacob Leslie scored 15 points, while rookie sensation, Glency Lopez, had a great game with 12 points, while dishing out 9 dimes and recording 6 steals. Ty Bradley and Akeem Watters scored 12 and 10 points respectively. Independence Thunderbolts was led by Hyram Augustine who tallied 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals, while Alroy Foreman finished the game with 15 points and 7 boards. Point guard Jason Daly scored 11 points to go with 4 assists and 3 rebounds. Smart Belize Hurricanes scored 28 points off turnovers, compared to only 5 for the visiting squad, while dominating the paint, outscoring their opponent 86-26. The home team also led in bench points, 41-10, and they out-rebounded the Thunderbolts 58-42.

Upcoming games

Friday at 9 p.m. - Dangriga Warriors vs. Cayo Western Ballaz at Ecumenical College

Friday at 9 p.m. - Belize City No Limit vs. Belmopan Bandits at Bird's Isle

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Independence Thunderbolts vs. Orange Walk at Independence High School

Saturday at 8 p.m. - Cayo Western Ballaz vs. No Limit at Sacred Heart College Auditorium

Saturday at 9 p.m. - San Pedro vs. Smart Belize Hurricanes at San Pedro High School

Sunday at 3 p.m. - Dangriga Warriors vs. Orange Walk at Ecumenical College