The Bequia Basketball Association (BBA) launched its highly anticipated 24th annual island tournament on Saturday at the iconic Clive Tannis Hard Court, drawing hundreds of local spectators for an action-packed opening night that blended rising young talent and seasoned senior competition, while highlighting the sport’s steady expanding popularity across the Grenadines island.
Opening night marked a historic milestone for the BBA, with the debut of the association’s brand-new Under-12 Division. This new addition was directly born from the overwhelming success of the BBA’s year-long grassroots youth development initiative, which drew over 100 aspiring young basketball players from across Bequia to participate in training camps and skill-building sessions throughout the past year.
The first tip-off of the tournament went to the new Under-12 bracket, where the Ninjas secured a decisive 10-3 victory over the Falcons. Key to the Ninjas’ win were standout performances from core players Chase Kydd, Solomon Miller, and Kenolyi Ollivierre, who controlled both ends of the court from opening whistle to final buzzer.
The youth action continued shortly after with a matchup in the Under-16 Division, where defending league champions the Golden Knights delivered a convincing 31-11 win over the challenging Hornets squad. What made this result even more notable was the performance of Golden Knights guard Shyanna King, who finished the game as the contest’s top scorer – marking the first time in more than a decade that a female athlete has earned this distinction at the annual Bequia tournament. In a post-opening statement, the BBA highlighted this moment as a marker of progress, noting the consistent and steady increase in female participation across all of the association’s youth programs and competitive divisions across the island. Micah King led all scorers for the losing Hornets side.
Following the conclusion of the youth matchups, BBA President Sabrina Mitchell hosted the official opening ceremony, where she extended warm greetings to competing players, thousands of community supporters, and the tournament’s network of local sponsors. Mitchell emphasized how critical private and community backing has been to the growth of basketball in Bequia, offering special recognition to two local businesses, The Chappy House and Frangipani, for their consistent generous support of the association’s annual youth development camps and the long-running tournament itself. Mitchell also shared positive news for the tournament’s future, confirming that additional corporate sponsors are set to join the initiative as the competition progresses through its scheduled rounds.
The night’s action wrapped up with a highly anticipated competitive matchup in the First Division, where defending champions Court Kings went head-to-head with tournament debutants Smokin’ Aces, a squad made up primarily of emerging talent from across the Southern Grenadines. In what proved to be the most tightly contested game of opening night, Smokin’ Aces pulled off a stunning upset victory, closing out a thrilling 82-78 win after entering halftime trailing the defending champions by just one point, with a first-half score of 36-35.
Smokin’ Aces’ star Elroy Joseph, who recently represented St. Vincent and the Grenadines at the ANOCES Under-23 3×3 Tournament in Tortola where Team SVG brought home a second-place finish, led the upset with a historic individual performance. Joseph finished the night with 33 total points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 block, anchoring his squad’s second-half comeback. For the losing Court Kings, forward Augustin Pollard put together a valiant effort in defeat, recording 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block for the defending champions.
In post-opening assessments, the BBA declared the tournament’s opening night a resounding success, noting the overwhelming community turnout and electric atmosphere that created a strong foundation for the weeks of competition ahead. Unfortunately, unexpected severe heavy rainfall that hit the island on Sunday forced organizers to postpone all scheduled matchups for that day. BBA officials confirmed that the postponed fixtures will be rescheduled at a later date, with new dates and times announced to the public once confirmed.
Competitive play is set to resume this coming Wednesday, with three confirmed matchups across the three divisions: the Under-12 Falcons will take on the Ninjas in a rematch of opening night, the Under-16 defending champion Golden Knights will face off against the Titans, and the First Division will see East Blazers square off against the Court Kings, who look to bounce back from their opening night defeat.
In a public press statement, the Bequia Basketball Association extended an open invitation to all residents and visitors across the island to attend the tournament. “Admission to all matchups is completely free for attendees, and food and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase from the on-site concession bar throughout the duration of the tournament,” the statement read.