Spartans, Royalty hoop to titles at Basketball Fiesta

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

A media release by the organisers, said, "This year's event was a spectacular showcase of young talent, with over 500 aspiring basketball players from across Trinidad and Tobago competing in age groups ranging from Under-11 to Under-19."

The three-day event saw 16 clubs producing 65 teams, all vying for titles in their respective categories. "The atmosphere was reminiscent of an international event, with two courts set up inside the velodrome and live streaming of the games on YouTube. The event featured numerous giveaways and game activities, with the highlight being the championship rings awarded to the Under-19 boys and Under-19 girls champions."

Director of the fiesta Garvin Warwick said the goal was to improve the quality of the tournament.

"We wanted to bring 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 and led Royalty to victory over Maloney Pacers in the finals. Spartans secured third place after overcoming NCA in the playoff.

Maloney Pacers emerged victorious against Spartans in the finals of the Under-13 boys age group 14-9. NCA captured third place.

In the Under-15 girls category, Royalty claimed the title over Club Enterprise 14-10 with 500 Hawks taking the bronze medal. MVP Kalema Sookram took home the MVP prize in the division.

The Under-15 boys finals saw a heated battle between Spartans and Maloney Pacers, with the former clinching the win. MVP Zachary Julien's stifling defence was a key factor in the Spartans crushing 20-3 victory.

The Spartans Under-17 team won the club's second title of the weekend when they got past Hoop Nation Academy from Pleasantville 31-22. William "Willy" Francis earned MVP honours, supported by Jermilco Wartes's dominance in the paint.

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

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