Basketball: Curtain-raiser tournament   PLS Hawks and Beau Vallon Heat lead top flight standings |20 April 2023

Praslin Boys are presently leading pool A of the men’s division two competition

Perfect winning records for Praslin Boys, PLS Legends in division two

PLS Hawks as well as defending league and Land Marine Cup champions Beau Vallon Heat are cruising in the ongoing Curtain-raiser tournament, topping their respective pools, while in the second division competition, Praslin Boys and PLS Legends are group leaders after registering maximum points from two wins in as many group matches.

As for the women’s competition, Anse Boileau-based HotShots are presently leading, pushing Anse Etoile Stars into second position on the head-to-head rule.

In the men’s division one competition, PLS Hawks are leading pool A on maximum four points from two wins in as many matches played.

The pool also features newly promoted Anse Etoile and Cascade Bullets, along with defending champions Premium Cobras and Mont Fleuri Dawgz.

In their first match, PLS Hawks had to dig deep into their reserve to overcome a well-disciplined Mont Fleuri Dawgz 73-70, while in their second match, the players of coach Tony Juliette thrashed Premium Cobras  89-39 to claim the top spot.

Anse Etoile are presently second in the group on two points after collecting a 69-65 win over Premium Cobras in their only match played so far.

Cobras – on two points – and Dawgz – on one point – are presently third and fourth in the group, ahead of fifth-placed Cascade Bullets who have not played a single match yet, after the competition reached a stalemate due to a lack of officials.

In pool B, Beau Vallon Heat are on top after collecting two points from their only match played, having defeated newcomers AB Boys 88-26.

Baya are presently occupying the second overall spot, also on two points from a win out of one match played, defeating MBU Rockers 94-46, but are behind Beau Vallon Heat due to an inferior basket difference.

Having also registered a win from one match played, Drifters are presently ranked third in the group on two points, ahead of AB Boys who are fourth on two points, and fifth-placed MBU Rockers who have one point from a defeat in their only match played.

In the men’s division two competition, inner island side Praslin Boys are dominating pool A on maximum four points from two victories in as many matches played.

The boys of coach Andy Niole defeated the Bel Air Basketball Academy (Baba) 84-50 in their first group match, while in their second outing, they beat St Louis Saints 66-52.

St Louis Saints are now second overall in the group on three points from a win a defeat, having beaten MBU Boys 81-65 in their first group match.

MBU Boys are presently third on one point, similar to fourth-placed Baba who have an inferior basket difference.

In group B, the former stars of PLS Hawks who have now regrouped under the name PLS Legends, are dominating the standings, having collected a maximum four points from two victories out of two matches played.

In their first match, the legends beat neighbours PLS Suns 67-53, while in their second match against Mont Fleuri Ballerz they won 74-61.

PTL Thunder are second in the group on two points from a win out of their only match played, walking over Mont Fleuri Ballerz in their first group match.

Last season’s Land Marine Cup finalists Anse Royale are presently third in the group, also on two points, after defeating Mont Fleuri Ballerz 60-48.

With two points from three defeats, including a loss by a walk-over, MF Ballerz are fourth overall, ahead of fifth-placed PLS Suns who have so far collected only one point from a defeat in their only match played in the competition.

In the women’s competition, the four registered teams – Anse Etoile Stars, B Challenge, Hot Shots and Mont Fleuri Ladies – are engaging in a league, before battling in a knock-out where the league winners will clash against fourth-place finishers and the runners-up will play against the team who finish third.

So far, Anse Boileau-based HotShots are leading the standings on three points from a win and a defeat out of two matches played, ahead of second-placed Anse Etoile Stars who have the same points tally, but are behind on the head-to-head rule after losing 32-50 to HotShots.

Stars’ victory – 64-28 – was over Mont Fleuri Ladies.

B Challenge are presently third on two points from a victory in their only match played, defeating HotShots 40-36.

As for Mont Fleuri Ladies, they are fourth overall on a single point following defeat in their only match played.

Roland Duval