7 News Belize

Bravo for Boys Basketball
posted (April 19, 2018)

Last week a Belize boys U-15 team left for the COCABA Championship in El Salvador and they did not come home empty-handed. The boys placed third in the tournament and two of the teams' players received special awards. We found out more about their stellar showing at a press conference today:

Paul Thompson - President, Basketball Federation Belize
"The team comprised of players from all across the country starting with Benque Veijo, San Ignacio, Dangriga, Corozal, Orange Walk and we had one player from the United States that's living in the United States. We're very proud of our U-15 National team, we had limited amount of time to practice, we did well under the circumstances, we placed 3rd and with this placement we are hopeful that we will be eligible to play in central basket. I say hopeful because Panama hosting the central basket tournament will allow us to be a participant in that central basket tournament. So we are very proud of all the different entities that allowed this initiative to happen."

Matthew Smiling - Head Coach
"On Wednesday the 11th we played our first game against Panama which we lost by 29 points. We made a lot of mistakes and I attribute that to the nervousness of the guys, it was our first game but they didn't lose heart, we practiced hard the next day and we recovered and bounced back to defeat Nicaragua by 19. The third game on Friday was very I would say personal to all of us because we played against Guatemala and we were determined not to lose that game. The co-captain of the team Izid Lopez made his point in that tournament not to lose to Guatemala by scoring 30 points, that was the high scorer of the game and I think the person who scored the most points in that tournament for a game. Our fourth game against Costa Rica on Saturday was real physical and I think that's what got to us to the eventual lost to Costa Rica by 12 but again we rebounded back on Sunday to win the bronze medal against El Salvador."

Izid Lopez - U-15 Boys National Basketball Team/COCABA Top Scorer
"The competition was challenging but I thought we could have managed it very well and placed first in the tournament because it wasn't too hard when you watch the different teams play. Like if you watched them play - when you watch them play and you watch yourself, you always tell yourself you will do better than them but when you really in the game, it's not so easy."

Reporter
"For you what was your strong suit for the team? What was the team like best at? Were they good at defense, offense, did you guys get along well?"

Izid Lopez
"Well, offense was perfect but the defense we had to work a little bit more on, we didn't know what really was our game. If it was the 2-3 zone or the full court man to man and we played the 2-3 zone in the first half against El Salvador and we were down 10 and when we played the full court man to man defense we went up, we ended up winning by 10 for I thought that was our better defense."

Reporter
"Did you guys go into this thinking you guys were going to place?"

Izid Lopez
"I thought we would have placed like gold or silver but we end up getting bronze."

Jules Vasquez
"How do you feel about winning so many awards?"

Izid Lopez
"I feel good, I don't think I would have gotten the 3 point efficiency but I know the score was very good and to give other people advice like I have a rim in my yard and I just practice every day. Shoot, shoot, shoot."

The team win has now secured itself a position in the CENTROBASKET tournament in Panama where they will face Mexico and other top finishers from the Caribbean.

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