Spartans and Royalty battle for titles at Basketball Fiesta

Sport

13 minutes ago

SPARTANS TT and Royalty Basketball Academy combined to win five titles at the fifth edition of Basketball Fiesta, held from July 12 to 14 at the National Cycling Centre in Balmain, Couva.

A press release from the organisers stated: “This year’s event was a spectacular showcase of young talent, with over 500 aspiring basketball players from across TT competing in age categories from Under-11 to Under-19.”

The three-day event saw 16 clubs produce 65 teams, all competing for titles in their respective categories. “The atmosphere was reminiscent of an international event, with two velodrome lanes and live streaming of the matches on YouTube. The event featured numerous giveaways and games activities, culminating in the championship rings being presented to the Under-19 boys and Under-19 girls champions.”

According to Garvin Warwick, the festival’s director, the goal was to improve the quality of the tournament.

“We wanted to set an international standard and continue to raise the bar for Basketball Fiesta, and this year we did just that. This is the first time in history that teams have been awarded championship rings.”

In the under-11 boys category, Jakeem King won the MVP award as Royalty led the team to victory over Maloney Pacers in the final. Spartans secured third place after beating NCA in the play-off.

Maloney Pacers emerged victorious over Spartans in the under-13 boys final (14-9). NCA took third place.

In the under 15 girls category, Royalty claimed the title against Club Enterprise 14-10, with 500 Hawks winning the bronze medal. MVP Kalema Sookram took home the division MVP award.

The Under 15 Boys Finals saw a heated battle between the Spartans and the Maloney Pacers, with the former taking the win. MVP Zachary Julien’s stifling defense was a major factor in the Spartans’ crushing 20-3 victory.

The Spartans Under-17 team won their second title of the weekend when they defeated Hoop Nation Academy from Pleasantville 31-22. William “Willy” Francis won the MVP award, buoyed by Jermilco Wartes’ dominance in the paint.

In the under-19 girls category, Club Enterprise defeated Maloney Pacers 22-12, with Mya Raymond once again taking the MVP title and leading her team to victory.

In the main event, Spartans claimed their third title with victory in the Under-19 boys division. Wartes (MVP), Francis, Liam Gooding and Joshua Sosman led their team to victory over New Chapter Academy.