Mayaro Basketball League hailed as TT blueprint

THE 2017 BP Trinidad and Tobago (BPTT) Mayaro Basketball League ended in an exciting climax last December, and the players of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) were officially recognised as champions of the Community B Division, following a prize-giving ceremony hosted at the Mayaro Indoor Sporting Facility recently.

In the final fixtures of the league, TTPS defeated Rio Ballers to capture the Community B title, while Resurrection Life Revival Assembly (RLRA) Ambassadors narrowly edged Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy (MPBA) to take top place in Community A Division. The impressive MPBA team took the Under-21 Division.

TTPS captain Don Wilkinson was high in praise for the community league at the prize-giving function.

“This league is an excellent one which has given us really good exposure and we are proud to have beaten really strong teams to emerge as champions. It is especially good as a developmental league because it is getting young players involved, which is needed for the rejuvenation of the sport at a national level. There are top teams from across the nation playing here and Mayaro has really set a standard for other communities to emulate and get involved in reviving basketball across Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

The Mayaro Basketball League is sponsored by energy company BPTT and has been administered for the past five years by the South Corner Basketball Foundation (SCBF). South Corner was ably supported by the All-Mayaro Sports Foundation (AMSF), which has been charged by BPTT with the administration and organisation of sporting development in the south-eastern community.

The community basketball league features an Under-21 Division, the Community A Division for local teams to compete, and the Community B Division which is open to teams across the nation that wish to compete at the highest levels.

Having guided the young talented players of the Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy in their maiden season, Matthew Pierre was presented with the trophy for Coach of the Season. His players exceeded their own expectations and received most of the individual accolades in the Under-21 and Community A Divisions.

Taking the prize for MVP in the Under-21 Division as well as Best Centre in the Under-21 and Community A Divisions was MPBA player, Daniel Hagley. A delighted Hagley said, “It is because of the excellence of our team and our coach that I was able to win these individual prizes and I give them all the credit. This league features quality players and it gives us exposure to the qualities required to be a good basketball player. I will keep working hard and hopefully I can use basketball as a platform for my ongoing personal development. And I really have to credit BPTT for investing in this league because it is all about the future.”

Community B Division awards:

Champions – Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS)

Runners-Up – Rio Ballers

Third Place – Grande All Stars

Most Valuable Player – Christopher Lares (Rio Ballers)

Most Points – Christopher Lares (Rio Ballers), 110 points

Most Three-Pointers – Nathan Lewis (Rio Ballers), 25 3-pointers

Best Guard – Wesley Vincent (TTPS)

Best Forward – Mikahial Williams (‘D’ Hill)

Best Centre – Christopher Lares (Rio Ballers)

Community A Division awards:

Champions – Resurrection Life Revival Assembly (RLRA) Ambassadors

Runners-Up – Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy (MPBA)

Third Place – Mafeking Youths

Most Valuable Player – Keion Powtan (RLRA Ambassadors)

Most Points – Daniel Hagley (MPBA), 111 points

Most Three-Pointers – Arnold Cooper (Mafeking Youths), 15 3-pointers

Best Guard – Franklyn Williams (MPBA)

Best Forward – Keion Powtan (RLRA Ambassadors)

Best Centre – Daniel Hagley (MPBA)

Under-21 Division awards:

Champions – Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy (MPBA)

Runners-Up – Libertville Villas

Third Place – Grade Young Stars

Most Valuable Player – Daniel Hagley (MPBA)

Most Points – Hakeem Morgan (Laventille Hawks)

Most Three-Pointers – Hakeem Morgan (Laventille Hawks), 11 3-pointers

Best Guard – Franklyn Williams (MPBA)

Best Forward – Amrit Singh (Libertville Villas)

Best Centre – Daniel Hagley (MPBA)