The KFC National Basketball League’s current standings have the two-time defending champions Soufriere Kings perched firmly in first place, following a dominant pair of victories over the weekend that extended their early season form to five wins from six outings. With a superior point differential over nearest competitors Bonne Terre Blazers, the Kings have cemented their status as the team to beat in this year’s tournament.
The first of the Kings’ two wins came on Friday night, when they delivered a lopsided 28-point defeat to Courts Jets, the league’s most historically successful franchise. The final scoreboard read 71-43 in favor of the league leaders, with standout performances across the starting lineup. Sydney Didier anchored the team’s defensive effort and offensive efficiency, topping the first half scoring with 15 total points, six steals, and a 47% field goal percentage. The season’s leading overall scorer, Jayzee Saltibus, put up an impressive double-double of 22 points and 16 rebounds, while Rayquan Francis joined him in double-digit stat lines on both ends of the court with 12 points and 14 rebounds. For the losing Jets side, Marcian Calderon turned in a strong individual performance, recording 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead his team.
Just 24 hours later, the Kings faced a far tighter contest against second-ranked Morne Gladiators, walking away with a heart-stopping one-point win that kept their hold on first place secure. The 64-63 result could have swung the other way: the Gladiators held possession with just 12 seconds remaining on the clock, trailing by a single point, but failed to convert the game-winning opportunity, allowing the Kings to escape with the victory.
Linzell Alcee stepped up as the Kings’ go-to scorer in the tight matchup, pouring in 16 points and grabbing four rebounds, including a number of timely late-game buckets that kept his side ahead. Saltibus notched another double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Didier added 11 points and five rebounds to the winning effort. For the Gladiators, Shamoir JnBaptiste led all scorers with 11 points, and Jayxan Justin logged a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Across other matchups held over the weekend, the Bonne Terre Blazers claimed a narrow four-point win over South Coast Basketball, finishing 62-58. Troy Louison notched the highest scoring total of the game with 18 points, while Orin Thomas rounded out a strong performance with a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds. South Coast was led by Kurt “Bawse Cartel” Raphael, who scored 14 points, and Tim Baptiste, who added 13 of his own.
Friday’s losers Courts Jets quickly bounced back from their heavy defeat to the Kings, pulling off a dominant 61-point win of their own against Firedup Fitness. The final score ended 104-43, with Ryan Philogene turning in an all-around elite performance: he led all scorers in the game with 28 points, while adding nine rebounds and eight steals. Tristan James contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, and Garick George chipped in 16 more points for the winning side.
The KFC National Basketball League action is set to resume this Wednesday, with the next round of games scheduled to tip off at the Beausejour Gymnasium.