The 5th annual Aloysius “Loloy” Daniel Youth Classic under-18 boys basketball tournament tipped off at Saint Lucia’s Beausejour Gymnasium on Monday, with three-time defending champions New Chapter Academy (NCA) Warriors from Trinidad & Tobago delivering a statement opening victory over Antigua & Barbuda’s Basketball For The Future (BFTF) Pitbulls. The tournament, named in honor of the late former Saint Lucian national basketball player and beloved local sports advocate Aloysius Daniel, brought together top youth squads from across the Caribbean to compete for regional bragging rights.
The Warriors’ 85-52 rout of the Pitbulls was shaped by a disruptive full-court pressure defense that put the visitors on the back foot from the opening tip. Already fatigued from significant flight delays that forced the Antigua & Barbuda side to fly into Saint Lucia on game day and travel directly to the arena without rest, the Pitbulls could not recover from the Warriors’ blistering start. The defending champs opened the contest with an 11-0 run, and even as the Pitbulls rallied to cut the deficit to just two points (18-16) by the end of the first quarter, a 13-0 unanswered run by NCA to open the second quarter broke the game open. The Warriors outscored their opponents 30-12 in the period, and held their commanding lead for the remainder of the contest.
Statistically, the two teams posted nearly identical shooting percentages from the field (32.3% each) and three-point range (18.2% each), with the Pitbulls actually outperforming the Warriors at the free throw line, hitting 72.7% of their attempts compared to NCA’s 52.8%. But relentless defensive pressure and transition opportunities created by turnovers allowed the Warriors to convert frequent easy baskets, carrying them to the lopsided win. Guard Kyan Cordner led all scorers with 23 points, adding six rebounds and three steals to anchor the Warriors’ attack. Forward Jervais Edwards chipped in 19 points and eight rebounds, while Rannan Howard rounded out the team’s double-digit scorers with 12 points and six boards. For the travel-weary Pitbulls, Erije Joseph and Jaden Lewis shared top scoring honors with 10 points apiece.
In other opening-day matchups, host nation Saint Lucia’s ECA Lions picked up a dominant 75-37 win over Guyana’s D-UP Academy. Sage Lewis led the home side with 20 points, while Nezan Lewis turned in an all-around standout performance, posting 17 points, nine rebounds and five steals to anchor the Lions’ victory.
The day’s only all-Saint Lucian matchup saw the BFTF Pitbulls earn their first win of the tournament against East Coast Academy (ECA) Tigers, closing with a 28-13 final score. Imani Gonzagne led the Pitbulls with 11 points and four steals. Though the Tigers controlled the offensive glass, pulling down 10 offensive rebounds, abysmal 15.8% free throw shooting and a stagnant half-court offense prevented the side from mounting a comeback, leaving them with an opening-day loss.
All opening-day action was captured by photographer Terry Finisterre, with images documenting team introductions, on-court action and post-game moments from the tournament’s first day.