One of the Caribbean’s most anticipated under-18 boys’ basketball competitions is set to tip off next week, with a historic expansion that marks a major milestone for the annual tournament. The fifth edition of the Aloysius “Loloy” Daniel Youth Classic Tournament will open its gates on Monday, August 17, at Saint Lucia’s Beausejour Gymnasium, with six days of competitive action running through to closing games on Friday. For the first time in the event’s five-year history, squads from five separate territories will travel to compete, turning a regional competition into an international showcase for young basketball talent.
The tournament carries deep legacy for Saint Lucia’s local basketball community, as it was created to honor the memory of Aloysius “Loloy” Daniel, a former Saint Lucian national basketball player and lifelong advocate for grassroots sports development. Daniel, who relocated to Canada in his later years, passed away three years ago, and the annual youth event has become his permanent tribute, nurturing the next generation of Caribbean basketball talent in his name.
Prior to this 2026 edition, the tournament had only hosted one international competing side: New Chapter Academy (NCA) Warriors from neighboring Trinidad & Tobago. The Warriors have dominated the competition since their first participation, claiming the championship title three consecutive times. This year, however, the competition pool has grown far beyond its original regional scope: alongside the returning Trinbagonian champions, squads from Antigua & Barbuda, Guyana, and even the United Kingdom will join three host teams from Saint Lucia to compete for the 2026 crown.
The full competing lineup includes the 2022 inaugural tournament champions East Coast Academy, which will field two squads – the Tigers and the Lions – plus Saint Lucia’s Basketball For The Future, D-UP Basketball Academy from Guyana, Antigua Pit Bulls, and M2KMAS Basketball from the United Kingdom.
Over the five-day competition, all six squads will compete in a full round-robin format to determine final standings. Match schedules are structured to allow fans ample access to the action, with tip-off times set for 2:00 p.m. every day from Monday through Thursday, and an earlier 1:00 p.m. start time for the final day of play on Friday. Opening day will feature three highly anticipated opening matchups: the ECA Tigers will tip off the tournament against Basketball For The Future, the ECA Lions will face off against D-UP Academy, and the Antigua Pit Bulls will challenge the three-time defending champion NCA Warriors in their opening outing.