Basketball – National League National league resumes today |25 August 2022
Beejay Bertin and Baya will begin the second round of the men’s division one league on top
After a two-week break, the basketball national league will resume today with a men’s division two match between PLS Suns and Anse Etoile at the Victoria Gymnasium.
Following the first round of the league, Bel Air-based Baya are leading the seven-team men’s division one league, while AB Boys from Anse Boileu lead the ten-team men’s league division two standing.
In the women’s league which features four teams, Anse Etoile Stars are leading after collecting maximum six points from three victories in as many matches.
Baya are presently on 11 points from five wins and a defeat in six matches played, ahead of second-placed PLS Hawks who have collected ten points from four wins and two defeats in six matches. Beau Vallon Heat and Drifters are third and fourth respectively, also on ten points but with inferior basket difference.
Mont Fleuri Dawgz will start the second round of the league in the fifth position on eight points from two wins and four losses, ahead of sixth-place Premium Cobras who are also on eight points.
MBU Rockers who concluded the first round without a win will debut the second round seventh on six points after six points from six defeats in as many matches.
In the men’s division two league, leaders AB Boys will launch their second round campaign against St Louis Saints on Saturday.
So far, they have collected 17 points from eight wins and a single defeat, a similar statistic to second-placed Cascade Bullets who are trailing due to an inferior basket difference.
In case of victory today against PLS Suns, third-placed Anse Etoile who are 16 points from seven wins and two defeats will take provisionary lead of league table.
Inner islanders Praslin Boys have concluded the first round fourth on 15 points from six wins and three defeats, while St Louis Saints are fifth on 14 points from five wins and four defeats.
Sixth-placed Mont Fleuri Ballerz share the same statistics as seventh-placed PLS Suns and eighth-placed Anse Royale, all on one point from three wins and six defeats, but Ballerz boast a superior basket difference.
The Bel Air Youth Academy (Baba) concluded the first round in the ninth overall spot on 11 points from two wins and seven losses out of nine matches, leaving winless MBU Boys at the bottom of the table on nine points after suffering nine defeats in as many matches.
In the women’s league, Anse Etoile Star concluded the first round on top after collecting maximum six points from three wins in as many matches, pushing B-Challenge second on five points from two victories and a defeat out of three matches.
Mont Fleuri who have collected a win and two defeats from three matches are currently third, ahead of fourth-placed Hotshots who are on three points after three defeats in as many matches.
The outcome of the second round of the national league will however not decide the champions since the top four in the two men’s league will engage in a best-of-three play-off where the teams who finish on top in both divisions will play against fourth-placed finishers, while the teams who secure the second overall spots after the second round will play the ones who finish third.
Teams that do not qualify for the play-off will play in a special tournament.
As for second division play-off, winners will earn automatic promotion, while the runners-up will play the team ranked before last in division one for a shot at promotion.
In the women’s league, the top two finishers will engage in a best-of-three play-off to decide a champion.
Meanwhile, the Seychelles Basketball Federation (SBF) in collaboration with local stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) will soon launch the ‘Basketball for Good’ project locally.
The project is an initiative of the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (Fiba), under the Fiba Foundation which is the social and legacy arm of the association that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.
The foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball for Good projects around the world.
The goal of Basketball for Good initiatives is to improve the governance of national federations to empower them to deliver safe, inclusive high-quality basketball programmes that enable people to develop as healthy, contributing members of their communities.
Its mission is to address the role of sports, in particular basketball, in the fields of community-building, education, women’s empowerment, health and wellbeing.
Locally, the two-year programme will be divided into four phases, including youth leaders seminar, teachers’ course, in-school programme and Basketball for Good festivals.
Roland Duval
