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The season is far from over for the young Pelicans of Saint Barth. Last weekend, after finishing third in the Northern Islands Championship standings (which includes teams from Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, and Saint Barth), the players traveled to Saint Martin to compete in the semifinal qualifiers. They returned with two wins under their belts. And what wins they were!
In the under-13 division, the Pelicans literally dominated their match against RCM Black. After a spectacular start (11-0), the young players from Saint-Barth never let up. Defense, focus, and teamwork—these were their coach’s instructions, followed to the letter. At the final whistle, the score was almost outrageous: 48–2 for the Pelicans. A victory that propels them into the semifinals, where they will face RCM Red this Saturday, May 2. Hopefully, they can once again rely on the performances of Naullah, Matteo, Kenzo, Saphir, Eliab, and Ernesto, all of whom were praised by their coach.
For the under-11s, the victory wasn’t as lopsided (16–9) but just as convincing. They showed determination to fight back despite a sluggish offense early in the game, as the Pelicans trailed 6-3 against their LDI opponents. But the team was able to rely on the tenacious defense of their captain, Mateo, and the offensive mastery of Juliette, named the game’s MVP. “In the second half, without all her baskets, we surely would never have won the game,” says Simon, the coach. “A true champion’s spirit.” Just like Hugo and Taino, who also stood out.
This Saturday, in Saint-Martin, the under-11s will face off against their Phoenicks counterparts in the semifinals. The same goes for the under-15s, who face a tough challenge since, in this age group, the Phoenicks team finished first in the regular season. But nothing seems impossible for the young Pelicans, who are ready to claw their way to the finals.
