NCA Love repeat as champ in St Lucia Youth Basketball tourney

New Champter Acadeny (NCA) Love delivered a masterclass on the final day of the Aloysius “Loy Loy” Daniel Youth Classic Basketball Tournament, cruising to an 84-33 victory over BFTF Pitbulls to secure their second consecutive championship in St Lucia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, NCA Joy battled their way to a 46-32 win over ECA Lions in the third-place playoff, earning the bronze medal.

NCA Love’s title-winning performance was marked by relentless defence and potent offence, overwhelming Pitbulls from the opening tip to the final buzzer. The match began with Love taking a commanding 25-9 lead in the first quarter, setting the tone for the rest of the match. They continued to build on their lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Pitbulls 24-9 to extend their advantage to 49-18 at halftime.

The third quarter saw Love’s defence tighten even further, allowing the Pitbulls to score only three points while they added another 15 to their tally. With the game all but decided, Love maintained their composure in the final quarter, outscoring the Pitbulls 20-12 to seal the 84-33 victory and their second consecutive championship.

Leading the charge for NCA Love was Cristian Farnum, who put on a spectacular display with 22 points, five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block. Lawrence Craig continued his strong tournament form, contributing 15 points, 10 rebounds, six steals, and two blocks. Jelani Carrington was a pivotal playmaker, dishing out 11 assists to go with his 15 points, while Judah Guy was a force on the boards, pulling down 15 rebounds along with 12 points, two steals and a block.

Joy unit secures bronze

In the third-place playoff, NCA Joy demonstrated their resilience, overcoming a slow start to defeat ECA Lions 46-32. The match began with ECA Lions taking a 12-6 lead in the first quarter, but Joy gradually found their footing in the second, closing the gap with a 9-7 quarter to trail by just four points at halftime.

Joy’s momentum carried into the third quarter, where they took control of the game with a decisive 22-10 run, turning the deficit into a 37-29 lead heading into the final period. Their defence stifled the Lions’ attack in the fourth quarter, allowing just three points while adding nine of their own to secure the 46-32 win and the bronze medal.

Josiah John-Andrew led the way for NCA Joy with a standout performance, scoring 20 points and dishing out 13 assists, alongside four steals. Taalib Daniel was dominant in the paint, recording 11 points, 13 rebounds, one assist and three steals. Rolando Marcano narrowly missed out on a double-double, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds.

Adding to the accolades, Farnum, Craig, and Zayden Charles were named to the tournament’s All-Star five, recognising their exceptional performances throughout the competition.

Results

Final

NCA Love 84 (Cristian Farnum 22 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk, Lawrence Craig 15 points, 10 rebounds, six steals, 2 blks, Jelani Carrington 15 pts, 11 asts, Judah Guy 12 pts, 15 rebs, 2 stls, 1 blk) vs BFTF Pitbulls 33. Quarter scores: 1st 25-9, 2nd 49-18, 3rd 64-21 (All in favour of Love)

3rd Place Playoff

NCA Joy 46 (Josiah John-Andrew 20 pts, 13 asts, 4 stls, Taalib Daniel 11 pts, 13 rebs, 1 ast, 3 stls, Rolando Marcano 9 pts, 9 rebs) vs ECA Lions 32. Quarter scores: 1st 12-6 (Lions), 2nd 19-15 (Lions), 3rd 37-29 (Joy).

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