5 days ago
12
THE FIRST half of the Jamaica Basketball Association’s (JBA) National Basketball League season comes to a close this evening at the National Stadium courts with St George’s Slayers against Upper Room Eagles in the mid-season final, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Despite the challenges, the league has faced since returning two years ago, JBA President Paulton Gordon believes they have made a few strides, but said they must continue to work to make the league more visible and attractive.
“Certainly, we have been getting more interest from our partners. We still have to add some value in terms of the entertainment side of it, but the quality of basketball is certainly improving,” he said.
“We are looking to enhance it (league) in terms of visibility, and revenue. But the teams are happy to be out there, because what you really want is consistent basketball, and there has been consistent basketball over the last year or two.”
He pointed out that before the league returned in 2023, players had very few options to play high-level basketball on a continous, organised basis, and that one of their commitments is to make sure this remains.
“We want to ensure that we maintain that, so the youngsters have that option of playing basketball and trying to move to a next level,” he stated.
Weather permitting, Gordon hopes they can see out the first half of the season tonight, and the rest of the campaign on schedule.
“We are outdoors and because of the weather, it gets tricky. But we are hoping that good weather prevails and we can play the quarter-finals, semis and final.
“Mid-season final is tomorrow (today). Then we break for the Easter and start the second round next week.
“For the second half of the season, what we are going to do is break the 10 teams into two zones.
“After the games are completed in the zones, two teams will be eliminated, eight teams will go to the quarter-finals, and we will have best-of-three quarter-finals,” he added.
Apart from the two mid-season finalists, the other teams competing in the league are Central Celtics, MoBay Boys and Girls Club Warriors, Urban Knights, Spanish Town Spartans, Portmore Flames, UWI Runnin’ Rebels, Tivoli Wizards and Rae Town Raptors.
After nine games, Slayers and Eagles lead the points standings on 16 points each. Knights, Flames and Rebels follow on 15, with Warriors and Raptors next on 14 points apiece. Spartan (11), Celtics (10) and Wizards (nine) round out the standings.
English (US) ·