Basketball: Special End-of-Year tournament finals |15 December 2020

Action from the women’s match between Air Fleuri and Anse Etoile Stars

Two in two for Beau Vallon in men’s competitions

● Air Fleuri take home the women’s title

The Beau Vallon district has proved that it is well ahead in terms of the country’s basketball development by clinching both men’s titles during the finals of the Special End-of-Year tournament held last Sunday at the newly renovated Victoria Gymnasium.

Beau Vallon Heat, the district’s elite team, took home the men’s division one crown after defeating Anse Boileau-based Drifters, while Beau Vallon Buccaneers who boast younger players, won the men’s division two title following their win against AB Boys, also from Anse Boileau.

In the women’s competition, only two teams took part and Air Fleuri – a combination of players from Bel Air and Mont Fleuri – won the title after winning the best-of-three series over Anse Etoile Stars.

To qualify for the final, Beau Vallon Heat eliminated Baya on a 63-57 score in the semifinal on Saturday, while Drifters beat PLS Hawks 45-41 to book their spot.

In Sunday’s final, Beau Vallon Heat dominated all four quarters of the match – 19-15, 20-19, 23-20 and 18-13 – for a comfortable 80-67 win and the title.

Kris Bouchereau of Beau Vallon Heat was the match’s top scorer with 20 points, including six treys.

In the men’s division two challenge, Beau Vallon Buccaneers reached the final following their 44-37 win over Anse Etoile in the semifinal, while their final opponents AB Boys reached the final after edging out Baba of Bel Air 54-53 in the other semifinal.

In the final, Beau Vallon Buccaneers won the first quarter 11-6, before AB Boys fought back in the second which they won 8-6, but still fell short of three points as Beau Vallon led 17-14 at half-time.

Under the guidance of coach Valli Ismael, Beau Vallon Buccaneers came out stronger in the third quarter, winning it 11-7, despite a slight resistance from AB Boys in the fourth and final quarter which they also won 9-8 for a 37-29 win.

Captain Alvin Stravens and Bj Bertin had the hot hands for Buccaneers, contributing eight points apiece.

In the women’s competition, only two teams – Anse Etoile Stars and Air Fleuri – registered and played each other on a best-of-three series.

In their first encounter last Thursday, Air Fleuri beat Anse Etoile Stars 37-30, while in their second encounter on Sunday, they repeated the feat on a 37-29 score to win the series.

Roland Duval