The highly anticipated 2026 Saint Lucia Under-19 Secondary School Basketball Championship is set to culminate in a blockbuster final next week, as two powerhouse programs secured their spots following hard-fought semifinal showdowns held Tuesday at the Beausejour Gymnasium. Two-time reigning title holders Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC) will face off against Soufrière Comprehensive Secondary School (SCSS), a three-time tournament finalist, in a matchup that pits consistent defending dominance against a hungry side eager to claim its first top prize.
The night’s second semifinal delivered edge-of-the-seat drama, as SCSS fended off a ferocious late comeback from Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School (LHCSS) to squeeze out a narrow 55-53 victory. SCSS carried a modest 27-23 lead into halftime before exploding for a dominant 21-10 third-quarter run that stretched their advantage to a commanding 48-33 heading into the final 10 minutes. LHCSS mounted an extraordinary last-ditch rally, outscoring their opponents 20-7 across the fourth frame, but ultimately fell just two points short of overturning the deficit. Tournament top scorer Curdin Jones turned in a historic all-around performance for SCSS, notching 34 points, 33 rebounds, six steals, two blocks and a single assist to anchor his side’s win. Support came from Sanchez Felix who added six points and 13 rebounds, Trenton Henry who pulled down 11 rebounds alongside three points, Kevon Gills with five points and six steals, and Aloysious William who contributed six rebounds, five steals and four assists. For LHCSS, sharpshooter McKhail Feliz led all scorers with 28 points, draining seven three-pointers in the process, while Sage Lewis posted a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds to go with five assists, three steals and two blocks, and Ahlil Cyril chipped in eight points.
The opening semifinal proved to be a far more controlled affair, as SALCC earned a decisive 48-29 victory over St Mary’s College (SMC) in a rematch of the 2025 championship final. The defending champions built their lead steadily, going up 14-12 after the first quarter, 26-18 at halftime, and 38-25 through three periods, before locking down defensively to hold SMC to a mere four points in the final frame. SALCC dominated the possession battle across the full 40 minutes, generating 13 more field goal attempts than their opponents courtesy of 10 extra rebounds and seven fewer turnovers. Nyel Joseph led SALCC’s balanced attack with 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals, while Mezan Lewis added 12 points, Romuald Wilson notched five steals to go with five rebounds and four points, and Shayne Edgar put up four points, five rebounds, four steals and four assists. SMC’s top performer was Jabarie Archibald with 12 points, six rebounds, six steals and two blocks, while Rollins Estwick turned in a standout defensive display with eight steals alongside two points, two rebounds and two blocks.