BPBL Power Rankings – Week 1
The Real Has Begun
The talking is over. The hypotheticals have faded. Week 1 of the BPBL season is officially in the books, and for the first time, we’re not guessing—we’re reacting to real basketball. Real rosters, real rotations, real results.
Teams have taken the floor, and the early returns are already telling us a lot. Some squads backed up the offseason hype. Others, well… let’s just say the spotlight burns brighter once the games start counting. What’s clear? The teams with solid, battle-tested local cores have hit the ground running, justifying the league’s shift toward elevating homegrown stars. From fan-favorites like Coope Lopez and Arik Nicholas to breakout young guns, Belizean talent is front and center—and driving the story.
But make no mistake: the margins are razor-thin. The right foreign or Belizean-American addition isn’t about being the guy—it’s about complementing your guys. Week 1 gave us our first taste of who got that mix right.
So here it is: the first official Power Rankings of the 2025 BPBL season. Real games. Real data. Real movement. Let’s get into it.
The Corozal Cirrus Suns made their season debut against the Sharks in front of a capacity crowd and held their own for about two and a half quarters. However, they were up against a relentless and experienced assassin in Rico Black, which showed in the final score. The Suns are a work in progress and are harder on themselves than we could ever be on them. They have several bright spots in their young core, and their fan base seems patient and appreciative. This team is a mixture of veterans like journeymen Ray Cruz and Greg Rudon, who now can prove themselves in prominent roles after being in the shadows for all these years. Former NEBL Rookie of the Year Raul Vanegas had a tough night shooting and handling the ball. He needs to create an identity as a scorer, dimes specialist, or sharpshooter. The patience to develop this identity will be crucial to assessing his future with the Suns. Brandon Rogers was one of their lone bright spots as he continued to be the most consistent player on the floor. Coming from a prominent role as a starter in Griga, his leadership and experience will be crucial to the Suns’ development and relevance in the Toucan Conference. If they continue to work and support each other, the community will be patient and rally behind this developing program.
The Punta Gorda Panthers are the only team yet to take the floor at the time of this writing. The team has been a slow-developing roster. However, like most slow-developing films, the image is getting clearer, brighter, and better as time moves on. The roster now boasts 2024 BEBL MVP candidate and forward sensation Jonathan Guzman. Guzman was one of the most exciting and prolific scorers in the league and can go for 30+ on any given night. He is expected to be accompanied by rising star Daniel Estes, who had an outstanding performance in the 2024 BEBL finals. Estes has an unorthodox style of play, combined with probably the most gifted athleticism in the league, making for a thunder-and-lightning combination alongside Guzman. At the top of the key is a man who, when last seen in Belize, was dropping 10 three-pointers on the Hurricanes in their building with a history-making display of shooting and guard play. This trio will be trained and developed by none other than Alex Carcamo himself. That’s right; Father Prime is returning as an executive to impart his knowledge to the PG Panthers and promises to make them the number one team by the middle of the season. His unique coaching style is expected to do wonders for the career of young center Matt Gordon and promises to break Linsey Lopez out of the shadow of his superstar brother, Coope. There is no denying the potential of this PG team if they can get their pieces to come together, but their late start forces me to take on a “wait and see” posture before putting them up against the big boys. Let’s see how they shape up after a month under Alex Carcamo’s teachings.
The disappointment of week one was the performance of the Belmopan Capital City Kings. This roster was filled with young stars and big international players. Last year’s Most Improved Player, Jayden Lopez, led the big-name parade, but anchoring the roster is local superstar and newly minted BEBL champion Brandon “Puddy” Flowers. On this same roster is BEBL Rookie of the Year Shane Pratt, who had big moments against the vaunted Hurricanes in the 2024 finals and is expected to take that next step with more minutes and opportunities in the capital city. Also on the roster was a youth sensation fresh from a US prep high school program in Arizona, in the person of Nissani Mendez. Another international sensation and one of the most successful young entrepreneurs, Jarell “Bird” Valasquez, has made a career out of dunking over three men and hitting three-pointers from all locations on the arc. Their social media was filled with eye-popping highlight reels of Larry Johnson, who played strictly above the rim. With new management and the most sought-after head coach in the offseason, Stephen Williams, the Kings were already crowned as the top of the Mayan Conference. Yet, alas, their performance in Cayo was a forgettable one, as the high-flying Western Ballers had them down 24 points by the middle of the second quarter. Was it rookie jitters or just plain being exposed by the completeness and intensity of the Western Ballers’ assault? Their second-half performance and the drive of Brandon Flowers suggest otherwise. In any case, they are off this week, and we are hearing changes are coming. As is, they are still a top-three team as far as potential and roster are concerned. However, there may be a bit of growth and seasoning necessary before the true potential of this roster is realized. Still, they play in the Mayan Conference, where there are no games off and no time to figure things out.
4. EZ investments Dangriga Dream Ballers – Toucan
The Griga Dream Ballers were one of the most stable teams in the offseason, thanks to the steady hand of the only female GM in the league. However, that mystique was shattered when they faced the Thunder Bolts in their home opener. Exposed for not having their usual foreign big man to anchor the middle in Delvin Henderson, the Dream Ballers suffered a significant lack of size and an inability to rebound or protect the paint. Their lone bright spots were the play of Deshawn Brackett and the absolutely fabulous aerial display of deep shooting put on by newly acquired and returning National Team guard Daniel Conorquie. Raheem Thurton showed why he is one of the best young players in the league when he took the floor and cut a 17-point Bolts lead to under ten points. Raheem Thurton and Kevon Lourie are both young players who are expected to take big steps this season to that next level, which, if achieved, could land the Dream Ballers in the Maya Cup Championship. Alexander Areola displayed great skills and polish, but the league’s physical play stifled those skills and rendered him ineffective against the Bolts. If he can make that adjustment to the physical play of the league, he will be a force to be reckoned with as the season progresses. If Griga keeps the same roster, they should find themselves in the Cup championship, but the next level might be tough. However, the rumors abound that Griga has a nuclear button—a button that, if pressed, would vault them to number one in the power rankings. Tick tock……
The revamped Sharks stormed into Corozal and demonstrated that Rick Black’s system and culture are alive and well. Playing without their usual superstar foreign powerhouses, the Sharks cruised to a blowout victory over Corozal behind their franchise face and perennial MVP candidate, Francis Arana. Francis had his usual complete game and demonstrated that he is ready to take a more prominent role in this new-look BPBL. The Sharks then unveiled their two new prodigies, Keon Rowland and Tyrell Griffith, who both boasted double figures in their debut. Keon is widely considered the next big thing in Belize basketball, with his MVP performance in the firm’s league and his ability to score 40-plus points from everywhere on the floor. Griffith is a high-flyer who is confident and ready to show the country what he has. The inclusion of two-time NEBL champion and national team forward Brian White dominating the boards inside means the Sharks can hurt you both inside and out. Yet, the fear factor of the Sharks lies in what awaits in the depths. Lurking in those waters is Jehad Wright. This former league MVP, NEBL champion, and national team forward is arguably the best two-way player in the league. With Keith Pollard coming off the bench and sharpshooter Douglas Valley coming back home to the Sharks after a three-season hiatus, the Sharks boast the highest experience and IQ levels in all of the Toucan Conference. With three-time champion and 2024 BEBL Coach of the Year Rico Black at the helm, this team will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in any conference.
I went back and forth between the Thunder Bolts and the Cayo Western Ballers. I could very easily have made them the number one team in the league. They have everything as well. The chemistry between their big stars was apparent in their home opener against the Dangriga Dream Ballers. Glency “Coope” Lopez was as advertised. The community-named “Prince of the City” was every bit himself as he slashed and diced his way to scoring in the paint, pushing the pace, and assisting his team to a 20-point lead by the early fourth quarter. He was accompanied by the two-time MVP Victor Evans who, having made his name by his explosive scoring ability, pulled down a whopping 14 rebounds in the first half of the game. His defensive prowess is well advertised, and his ability to hit big shots that are timely run-stoppers was the discouraging factor that Dangriga encountered during several of their runs. The Bolts have now acquired former Belize National Team big man Matthew Young, who is arguably the most unstoppable inside force in the league. The team now has as its starting shooting guard the number one defensive guard in the league, Eyan Rene, who showed himself to be a two-way threat with 14 points in game one from just about everywhere on the floor. With the help of American center Donovan Baird in the middle, you would think this is an unstoppable force. Now, suppose I tell you that their leading scorer and former national guard, Tyrone Hall, comes off the bench. Hall is one of the most dangerous three-point threats in the league, but he also has one of the highest basketball IQs with a nose for the rim. Alongside defensive specialist Alejandro Baptist, Evral Tablada, and U17 Bronze Medalist Michael Caseras, the bench demonstrates the depth of the Thunder Bolts, who are by far the most experienced team in the league with their core now going on their third year together. Boasting one of the winningest coaches in the league, the Thunder Bolts are poised to sit atop the league, with only the Western Ballers currently standing in their way.
The Cayo Western Ballers announced themselves as a favorite to win the Mayan Cup with a dominant win over the highly touted Belmopan Capital City Kings. The Western Ballers demonstrated a balance in skillsets in key positions that will make them very difficult to contain during the season. They have the expected high-flying twin towers in Arik Nicholas and Ciego, both Belizean players fresh off college seasons in the United States. Both players are known for their highlight reels on the dunking scene, but it was their interior defense that was the star of the game. With the inclusion of national team volleyball star and defensive specialist Kerwin Palacio, it will be tough sledding to score in the paint against the Western Ballers. This is unusual for the Ballers, who have always been known for their short but energetic players who would rain threes outside all night to compensate for their lack of size. Well, those assassins are still there with the likes of Kyron Molina and Aaron Allison, who are arguably two of the most dangerous three-point duo in the league. The steady guard play of veteran point guard Jamie Carvahal is expected to bring poise and timely plays and shooting to the team. The infusion of American big man Anthoney Howell gives them a fundamental presence in the post and some size to offset the slender frames of Ciego and Arik. This alone would have made for an excellent Cayo team, however……….there is the introduction of Belizean-American point guard sensation Dennis Flowers III. Flowers is a dynamic point guard in the vein of Jalen Brunson. This kid is the full package for which everyone has to give an account. He has a three-point shot, is difficult to stay in front of, and can pass out of the drive to two of the most dangerous shooters in the league. With the unstoppable interior presence of Darnell Oden, this Cayo team may very well be the most complete in the league at this early stage. To top it off, they have one of the most prolific systems basketball teachers as their head coach to steer this formidable force from the Mayan Conference.
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