Berisford Codd Jr. ©
Down goes the last of the undefeateds! Week 6 of the NEBL saw the undefeated San Pedro Tiger Sharks (5-1) losing to the Digicell Belize City Defenders (3-1) in Belize City by a score of 76-70. The Defenders were carried once again by their dynamic duo of Darwin “Puppy” Leslie and the American Nigel Jones. Puppy continued with his deadeye shooting, finishing with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 4 three pointers. With the need to respond to the dominant performance of Tiger Sharks big man Martevius Adams (31 points), Jones stepped up and delivered an efficient 25 points on 59% shooting.
The Belmopan Bandits (2-4) had arguably the toughest week across the league, as they were edged out by the Hurricanes at home in overtime and lost by 31 to Verdes after a series of ejections. Losing back to back games in a short season may be the difference maker in securing one of the four playoff spots. Teams and fans across the league remain on edge to find out the league’s verdict on the Bandits protest of the Verdes game. With the top of the league beginning to separate itself, let’s take a look at the action happening in Week 7…
Friday (9:00 p.m.) March 2nd 2018 – Verdes Basketball vs Smart Belize Hurricanes – Sacred Heart Auditorium (live on TNC)
Verdes (1-4) enters Week 7 with only one win on the record, a win which still hinges on the final ruling of the Commissioner. The team has still functioned without a clear identity, but has consistently improved since the arrival of the cavalry from the US. While the second half of last week’s game was questionable due to a host of ejections, Verdes received strong performances from sharpshooter Elbert Ariola and young big man Darnell Oden that ultimately led to the win. Ariola, in particular, hit five threes in the game to net a season high 19 points. His play as a floor spacer will be crucial to relieve the pressure of the Hurricanes league leading defense (64.8 ppg). Hurricanes fans and management alike would be quick to point out that the main factor in last week’s loss to Dangriga was the team’s long injury list. No less than three key players, Glency Lopez, Brian White and Akeem Watters, were either injured or hurt. While they have sufficient depth to make up for the loss of White, potentially being without the scoring punch of Watters and Lopez (29.4 ppg). As the Hurricanes continue to face extended scoring droughts due to poor ball movement, look for them to continue hanging their hat on the defensive end!
X Factor: Health of Akeem Watters
Saturday (9:00 p.m.) March 3rd 2018 – Digicell Belize City Defenders vs Griga Dream Ballers – St. Catherine’s Academy Auditorium
After knocking off the first place Tiger Sharks, the Digicell Belize City Defenders now take aim at second place Griga Dream Ballers. The insertion of Ty Bradley into the starting line-up has paid dividends for the Defenders, as their defensive toughness and discipline has ramped up to support an offense that is heavily reliant on Puppy Leslie and Nigel Jones (45 points combined of the Defenders 83.25 per game). As the Dream Ballers have struggled to prevent dribble penetration, look for Francis Arana and Lincey Lopez to attack downhill and put pressure on Griga’s big men. Griga has displayed a polished offense that features smooth ball movement and deft shooting from the start of the season. While the offense has been consistent, Griga’s has not put together a complete defensive game since it defeated the Bandits in its second game. The Dangriga coaching staff may be wise to take the fight to Nigel Jones, who flourishes when playing a wide open finesse game.
X Factor: Griga’s physicality against Nigel Jones
Saturday (9:00 p.m.) March 3rd 2018 – Orange Walk Running Rebels vs Verdes Basketball – OW Multi-Purpose Complex
Orange Walk (0-5) has consistently improved since relieving Coach Brads Neal of head coaching duties. They were competitive against the Tiger Sharks in San Pedro, which should bode well for their confidence when facing fellow cellar dweller Verdes at home. Guard play, the usual staple in the Running Rebels attack, was extremely effective, with the trio of Cummings, Reneau and Usher combining for 50 points. Their continued efficiency will be needed to support scoring big man James Ewing, who will find himself as a mismatch against the Verdes defenders due to his size and crafty ball handling. Verdes, who will be playing in their second of a back to back, will likely need to go deep in their rotation to sustain energy levels on both ends. With the Rebels struggling to get back defensively all season, Verdes will have their horses primed and ready to attack in the fast break. Look for a high scoring affair between two of the league’s worst defensive teams.
X Factor: Bench production of Verdes
Saturday (9:00 p.m.) March 3rd 2018 – San Pedro Tiger Sharks vs Belmopan Bandits – San Pedro High School
The San Pedro Tiger Sharks (5-1) managed to bounce back from their first loss of the season by edging out a win against the winless Orange Walk Running Rebels. Though early MVP candidates Ashton Edwards and Jihad Wright have come back to earth over the past few games, the Tiger Sharks may be an even scarier team with 6-8 big man Martevius Adams rounding into shape. Adams enters this game with the Bandits coming off a dominant week, where he averaged 23.5 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Adams was not in condition against the Bandits, as he looked noticeably troubled with the pace of the game, finishing with only 16 minutes. The Bandits have struggled with consistency in the 2018 season, alternating pairs of losses, wins and now losses. Their start import Luther Page has fallen out of the MVP race, owing to the ejection against Verdes and the inability to produce efficiently against the Hurricanes. While Page is capable of putting together a brilliant individual performance, it may not be enough if the Bandits guards cannot sit in a defensive stance and slow down the dribble penetration of the Tiger Sharks. If the Bandits can keep the game close going into the fourth quarter, Page will have the opportunity of delivering once again in isolation against the smaller and or slower Tiger Sharks defenders.
X Factor: Bandits paint protection