NCA, Caracas victoriously open DIAL basketball campaign

Players from New Chapter Academy (black) and Caracas City (blue) greet each other follwing their  Destiny Invitational Arima League game, on Friday, at the Princess Royal Basketball Court, Arima. - (Destiny Invitational Arima League)
Players from New Chapter Academy (black) and Caracas City (blue) greet each other follwing their Destiny Invitational Arima League game, on Friday, at the Princess Royal Basketball Court, Arima. - (Destiny Invitational Arima League)

DAVID SCARLETT

THE 2024 season of the Destiny Invitational Arima League (DIAL) commenced on Friday, at the prestigious Princess Royal Basketball Court, Arima, as the first four teams in action got their campaign started in thrilling fashion.

A brief but impactful opening ceremony preceded the day’s events where the Mayor of Arima Balliram Maharaj, graced the event and delivered an inspiring address. In light of the sombre news earlier in the day surrounding the son of a businesswoman within the borough being murdered, he expressed hope for the future of TT and emphasised the significance of initiatives like The DIAL in steering young people away from crime.

He further expressed his optimism for the resurgence of sports in Arima, particularly basketball, and stated, “Arima was the mecca of sport… Now, we have hope. Basketball (is) in Arima again, we’re good to go.”

Teams in the league reside in two divisions: the Premier Division and the Championship Division.

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The Premier Division consists of Black Mamba, Caracas City, Maloney Pacers Basketball Club A, Morvant Oilbirds, New Chapter Global Sport Academy A (NCA A), Straker Nets, TT Defence Force A and Valencia Heat.

In the Championship Division are Maloney Pacers Basketball Club B, Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy, New Chapter Global Sport Academy B, Spartans TT, TT Defence Force B, the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and the University of the West Indies (UWI).

The season opener was contested by NCA B and UWI in the Championship Division. NCA B rallied to an early advantage, leading 14-11 in the first quarter. They then solidified their control over the game with an impressive second quarter, outscoring UWI 22-15.

This relentless drive translated into a 10-point halftime lead (36-26). Although UWI staged a commendable comeback in the third quarter, reducing the deficit (49-46), NCA’s unyielding performance in the final quarter left no room for doubt, securing a resounding 71-57 victory.

The second match of the day showcased the first Premier Division battle of the campaign. A schedule adjustment brought forward the anticipated clash between NCA A and Caracas City.

The initial quarter hinted at a tightly contested battle, but Caracas gradually asserted their dominance, heading into halftime with a slender 36-31 lead.

Despite NCA’s spirited efforts to stage a comeback, Caracas demonstrated unwavering consistency, maintaining their position, and clinching a well-earned 73-63 victory in a hard-fought encounter.

The Saturday fixture between Morvant Oilbirds and Defence Force A was postponed due to rain, but the three matches scheduled for Sunday brought the action back to the court.

In the first of the two Championship matches, Spartans overpowered Maloney Pacers B 116-86 with Amare Toney earning himself the title of Player of the Match with an astounding tally of 34 points scored and one assist.

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The following fixture saw Matthew Pierre Academy claim a 79-67 victory against Defence Force B, despite the game being even throughout its entirety.

An exciting Premier Division showdown concluded the weekend’s action as Maloney Pacers A mauled Black Mamba 110-61. Akheel “Smally” Boyd was the star of the show, proving to be troublesome for the Black Mamba outfit.

The zesty Boyd scored 28 points and registered 14 assists to lead his team to a comfortable first victory of the season.

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