St Joseph’s Convent lead charge as National School hoops tip off in Pleasantville
2026-03-25 - 18:34
The hardwood is set to sizzle at the Southern Regional Indoor Sport Arena as the T&T School’s Basketball Association (TTSBA) National Championships officially tip off Wednesday in Pleasantville, San Fernando. Leading the charge into the three-day tournament are the St Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain (SJCPOS), who arrive in San Fernando fresh off a dominant sweep of the North Zone. The SJCPOS outfit cemented their status as title favourites by capturing both the Under-15 and Open Girls Division crowns. The SJCPOS U-15 squad was nothing short of a juggernaut in the zonal qualifiers, finishing with a perfect 4-0 record and outscoring opponents by staggering margins, including a 37-2 victory over Holy Name Convent. The other time the teams met, SJCPOS won 23-0. St Joseph’s Convent also swept its series against East Mucurapo, winning 23-8 and 29-4. Their relentless energy and precision left opponents struggling to keep pace, showcasing the depth of talent and discipline within the programme. The Open Girls team showed a different kind of strength–resilience. After a narrow two-point (22-20) stumble against Holy Name, St Joseph’s rallied to win their remaining fixtures, including a gritty 25-20 clincher against East Mucurapo Secondary. In other wins, SJC topped East Mucurapo, 18-5 and Holy Name, 20–17. “Winning both divisions is a testament to the players’ hard work and spirit,” Physical Education teacher Giselle Darlington said. “We are ready to bring this energy to Nationals.” The tournament brings together the elite from the North, East, and South/Central zones. Competition runs from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Admission is set at $10 for students in uniform and $20 for the general public. While SJCPOS looks to sweep the girls’ categories, the Boys’ divisions feature heavyweights like Fatima College, appearing in three age groups (U-13, U-17, and U-20), and St Benedict’s College, representing the South/Central pride in the U-15 and U-20 categories. Zonal winners Boys U-13: Fatima (North), Hillview (East) U-15: St Mary’s (North), Arima North (East), St Benedict’s (South/Central) U-17: Fatima (North), Trinity East (East), Chaguanas North (South/Central) U-20: Fatima (North), St Benedict’s (South/Central) Girls U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North), Five Rivers (East), Palo Seco (South/Central) Open: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North), Five Rivers (East), Fyzabad Anglican (South/Central) Today’s matches Boys U-13: Fatima (North) vs Hillview (East), 10 am Girls U-15: Five Rivers (East) vs Palo Seco (South/Central), 10.45 am Boys U-15 semifinal 1: St Mary’s (North) vs St Benedict’s (South/Central), 11.30 am Girls U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North) vs Palo Seco (South/Central), 12.15 pm Boys U-15: Tobago vs Arima North (East), 1 pm Girls U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North) vs Five Rivers (East), 1.45 pm Girls Open semifinal 1: Fyzabad Anglican (South/Central) vs Five Rivers (East), 2.30 pm