Electrifying Season Opener for the BPBL; Tiga Town Red Necks Wins Softball Marathon

Good evening and welcome to this week’s installment of Sports Monday! I’m Paul Lopez, bringing you the latest and greatest from the world of sports across the nation. This past Friday, the energy was electric inside the Belize City Civic Center as the long-awaited Belize Premier Basketball League tipped off its inaugural season in grand style. The evening began with a patriotic march past, proudly led by the Belize Coast Guard, setting the tone for a night of unity and competition. All seven teams participating in this historic season made their presence known, parading across the court with pride, team banners flying high and jerseys gleaming under the arena lights. With the Tony Leslie Toucan Cup, the San Cas Mayan Cup, and the Benny’s Jaguar Cup all up for grabs, the stakes are high, and the excitement is just getting started.

 

Gilbert Gordon, Chief Executive Officer, B.P.B.L

“We believe that this premier basketball league is going to be beacon, it is going to be the light that transcends basketball to a different level for the next ten to fifteen years.”

 

It was a fun start to the night as Minister of Sports Anthony Mahler stepped up to take the ceremonial opening shot, but let’s just say it took a few tries. After missing his first six free throws, Mahler finally sank one, earning a big cheer from the crowd. But don’t let his warm-up performance fool you, the real action was just getting started. The Belize City Thunderbolts faced off against the EZ Investment Dream Ballers in a high-energy matchup packed with highlight-worthy plays and crowd-pleasing moments.

 

Dream Ballers’ Deshawn Brackett with a long range three early in the first quarter. He ended the night with nineteen points. Eyan Rene with the fast break on the other end to get the Thunderbolts on the score board. He scored fifteen points in this one. Victor Evans on fire in the third quarter nails a three-point shot. He finished at eighteen. The first quarter ended with Dream Ballers in the lead with twenty-points to their opponents twelve. The second quarter kicked off with a bang as Thunderbolts’ Tyrone Hall lit up the court. He nailed a three-pointer while drawing a foul, setting himself up for a rare four-point play—and that was just the beginning. Hall’s clutch shot sparked a dominant six-minute run, with the Thunderbolts racking up seventeen unanswered points. By the end of the quarter, they had outscored the EZ Investment Dream Ballers twenty-six to five, heading into halftime with a commanding thirteen-point lead.

 

Dream Baller s’ Daniel Conorquie stuck out like a sour thumb in the third, hitting four back-to-back three pointers. He made the first three over Matthew Young. Victor Evans switched on Conorquie but that was not enough. Evans on the other end, responding with a three-point basket. But, Conorquie was not quite done, again catching Young sleeping at the wheel. His fourth made three-pointer and fifth consecutive basket. He finished the night with twenty-four points. Victor Evans kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter, showing off his sharp shooting and helping seal the deal for the Belize City Thunderbolts. The final score? A commanding 108–81 win over the EZ Investment Dream Ballers.

 

Saturday night was packed with action across the country. In San Ignacio, the Western Ballaz cruised past the Capital City Kings with a 77–57 victory. Meanwhile, up north in Corozal, the San Pedro Tiger Sharks made a splash, overpowering the Corozal Cerros Suns 74–47. Week two of the league’s inaugural season continues this weekend, with the Punta Gorda Panthers set to make their much-anticipated debut.

 

And it wasn’t just basketball grabbing attention—over in Sandhill Village, softball fans were treated to a day-long marathon showdown. In the women’s championship match, Double Head Cabbage faced off against the Tiga Town Red Necks, who were first up to bat in the fight for the marathon trophy. Jada Moralez hits towards third base and made it safely to first. Sherice Moralez swung and sent a ground ball into the outfield. That led to Jada Moralez scoring the first and only run for her team in the starting inning. Double Head Cabbage did not score a single run in their first and second innings.

 

In the Tiga Town Red Neck’s second inning, Richard on third base made it across the home plate off a hit from Jada Moralez. That’s two runs for the Red Necks. Trailing 3–0 in the third inning, Double Head Cabbage sparked some hope with a clutch hit that brought a runner home and put them back in the game. But in the fourth and final inning, the Tiga Town Red Necks added two more runs to their tally. Double Head Cabbage answered with two of their own, but it wasn’t enough. The Red Necks held on for a 5–3 win, taking home the marathon trophy in a hard-fought women’s championship match in Sandhill Village.

 

Meanwhile, the Anthony Mahler Youth Tournament continued over the weekend with more exciting matchups. On Saturday, Sampson Academy edged out Ebony Lake with a narrow 1–0 victory at Berger Field. In the under-10 division, Belize United faced off against the Blazing Strikers in a tightly contested game. Azaire Gaynair scored for Belize United with a brilliant penalty kick that sailed past the keeper. But the Strikers struck early—Jayseon Dennison found the back of the net just two minutes into the match. The game ended in a 1–1 draw, with both teams showing impressive skill and determination. Well folks, that is all we have for you in tonight’s coverage of Sports Monday. Catch you in the next one.