The SLBF Select 12 emerged victorious in the Saint Lucia Basketball Federation’s KFC Pre-Season Invitational after a dramatic Sunday night finale that culminated in a three-way tiebreak scenario. The round-robin tournament, held at Beausejour Indoor Facility from February 27 to March 1, featured intense competition among four teams: Soufriere Kings, Bonne Terre Blazzers, SLBF Select 12, and the invited 767 Sports Club Dominica.
Following the completion of all fixtures, an unprecedented tie occurred with three teams—Soufriere Kings, 767 Sports Club Dominica, and SLBF Select 12—each finishing with identical records of three wins and one loss. According to FIBA tie-breaking regulations, the championship was awarded to SLBF Select 12 based on superior point differential. The all-star squad, composed of elite players selected from various National League teams, claimed the preseason trophy ahead of the visiting Dominican team and local contenders.
Tournament organizers celebrated the high-caliber basketball displayed throughout the event. Saint Lucia Basketball Federation President Glen Guiste remarked, ‘If this is a prelude to the regular season, there’s some good basketball to look forward to,’ indicating promising prospects for the upcoming season commencing March 7.
Dunstan ‘Maggie’ Peters, coach of the visiting 767 Sports Club Dominica Allstars, expressed pride in his team’s competitive intensity despite falling short of the title. In an exclusive interview with St. Lucia Times, Peters noted the elevated competition level compared to previous years: ‘The way it happened is exactly how I expected, and I wanted it to be tougher than the two other years. The tournament is growing and that’s what we want.’ His ‘Bouyon Ballers’ suffered their first preseason defeat after two years of undefeated performances, signaling the development of regional basketball competitiveness.