The Island Academy basketball girls won the Belize district primary schools basketball championship at the Belize Civic Center on Thursday, February 15th, which qualified them to the national championships organized by the National Sport Council, where they won third place against four other district champions at the Punta Gorda Multi-purpose Sports Complex on Friday, February 23rd.
The Island Academy girls advanced to the playoffs at the nationals, by a nine-eight win over the Orange Walk champions, the Louisiana Government School girls in Game Six. Olivia Dominguez led with four points, Oceane Viana and Lucy Vandy each scored a basket, and Kayjiah Samuels chipped in a free throw. Sugar City’s Aijah Babb scored six pts, and Katelyn Cunil added a basket.
The island girls had not done so well in their 6-14 loss to the eventual champions, the St Peter Claver RC girls of Punta Gorda, Toledo district in Game Three. Lucy Vandy, Olivia Dominguez, and Ava Guerrero each scored a basket for the island. Toledo’s Jazlynne Garbutt led with six points, MVP Vashty Valerio scored four points, and Princess Vernon and Li’Ackia Ack each netted a basket.
In Game Seven, the semifinals, Olivia Dominguez scored six points for the island team to secure third place, despite their six-ten loss to the defending champions – the St. Alphonsus RC girls of Seine Bight, Stann Creek, for whom Celine Castillo scored ten pts.
In Game One, the Toledo girls dominated the Sugar City girls: 17-8, as Jazlynne Garbutt scored eight points and MVP Vashty Valerio scored seven points. Aijah Babb led the Sugar City girls with four points.
In Game Two, the St. Alphonsus girls blew out the Cayo district champions, the Santa Elena RC girls: 25-5. As Nicasia Moreira and Celine Castillo scored 12 pts each, but Moriera injured her right ankle and had to it out the rest of the tournament.
In Game Four, the Sugar City girls edged past the Cayo girls eight-seven led by Aijah Babb’s four points. Elisa Williams and Daphne Gutierrez each scored a basket. Cayo’s Katelyn Pinelo scored three points and Marilyn Gutierrez added a basket.
In Game Five, the Toledo girls dominated the over St. Alphonsus girls eight-five to advance to the finals as Jazlynne Garbutt and Marlenie Canelo scored three points each. Celine Castillo and Ambrea Joseph each scored a basket for St. Alphonsus.
MVP Vashty Valerio shot ten points to lead the Toledo girls to a 16-7 win over St. Alphonsus in the championship final. Garbutt added four points and Najae Palacio scored a basket. Celine Castillo scored seven points for Stann Creek.
National Sports Council executive director Iris Centeno presented team trophies and individual medals to the champions, second and third place winners in the awards ceremony after the finals. Toledo’s Vashty Valerio won the Most Valuable Player award.
