🐾 Jungle Rewind

Desperation in the Kingdom results in A Star being Born

Belmopan Capital City Kings vs Belize City Thunderbolts
Venue: The Capital Dome | Final: Kings 85, Thunderbolts 75

There are games that change a team’s season, and sometimes, the league’s entire narrative. Both the Belmopan Capital City Kings and the Belize City Thunderbolts entered the Capital Dome desperate to snap two-game losing streaks. Everyone knew the stakes: fall to 0–3 in the Mayan Conference and you’re suddenly chasing, not leading, the Cup race.

But the story everyone will be talking about? Nisani Mendez, the electrifying young guard fresh out of college hoops in Arizona, dropped a career-high 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals and put the entire league on notice. On a night where stars needed to rise, Mendez stole the spotlight and ignited the home crowd—and maybe the Kings’ entire season.

But for the second game in a row the Bolts came in shorthanded—Glency Lopez (sprained ankle), Eyan Rene (ill), Larry Johnson (recently waived), and the ever-dangerous Tyrone Hall (unavailable) all sidelined. Could the Thunderbolts’ next-men-up keep pace with the streaking Kings, or would Belmopan seize the moment and flip the script on the conference pecking order?

First Quarter – Kings Strike, Bolts Respond

The Kings came out hungry, with Julian Theissen (9 points, 4 rebounds) igniting the crowd early—splashing a three and slicing inside for buckets. Shane Pratt (15 points, 3 boards, 2 steals, 1 block) set the tone on the glass and on defense, battling for second-chance points and picking off lazy passes.

But the Thunderbolts’ Alejandro Baptist (12 points, a monster 17 rebounds) showed why he’s the BPBL’s most physical big, cleaning up the paint and scoring on three straight trips. Victor Evans (14 points, 8 boards, 6 assists, 1 block) answered the call as a two-way engine, helping Bolts surge ahead with back-to-back jumpers and slick dimes.

Midway through, Brandon Flowers (18 points, 10 rebounds) checked in and immediately made his presence felt—scoring through contact and snatching tough boards. But Tablada (10 points, 2 boards, 2 steals) and Young (22 points, 17 rebounds) helped the Bolts close the period up four.

End of Q1: Kings 19, Thunderbolts 23

Second Quarter – Mendez Takes Over

With the Dome buzzing, Mendez started to cook. He poured in 9 second-quarter points—attacking the rim, knocking down midrange jumpers, and grabbing a steal for a coast-to-coast finish. When the Bolts threatened to pull away, Mendez answered with a triple and then set up Pratt for an easy bucket.

Jamaal Harris (7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals) hit a momentum three, but Matthew Young (22 points, 17 rebounds) and Michael Caseras (10 points, 3 boards) kept the Bolts within striking distance with second-chance finishes and free throws.

With under a minute left, Mendez drew contact—coolly hitting both free throws to tie the game at the break, already up to 13 points and playing with the composure of a veteran.

Halftime: Kings 41, Thunderbolts 41

Third Quarter – Kings’ Young Guns Rise

Bolts came out aggressive, Donovan Baird (7 points, 6 rebounds) and Baptist again attacking inside. But Belmopan’s answer was their new “Big 3”—Flowers, Mendez, and Harris.
Flowers hammered in a putback, then drilled a pair of threes to push the Kings ahead. On the next sequence, Mendez drove baseline, drew defenders, and whipped a pass to John Kelly (9 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals), who calmly finished at the cup.

Harris drained a deep three, and Theissen grabbed two quick boards to keep the Kings in control. Bolts wouldn’t go away—Evans, Young, and Tablada cut the lead back to one, but a late 8-0 Kings run, capped by a Flowers fast-break layup and another Mendez assist, brought the Dome to its feet.

End of Q3: Kings 65, Thunderbolts 62

Fourth Quarter – The Mendez Moment

You could feel the crowd’s anticipation—Mendez with 17 points and still attacking. Early in the quarter, he hit a slick pull-up, then found Pratt for an and-one. When the Bolts tried a zone, Mendez split it and tossed a no-look to Kelly for an easy finish.

The Thunderbolts began to unravel. Victor Evans picked up a technical (and then a disqualifying foul) after a hard challenge on Mendez, who calmly drained four straight free throws. Moments later, Mendez sliced through the lane for his 23rd point—his new BPBL career high, with the crowd chanting his name.

Down the stretch, Flowers sealed the glass, Harris and Lopez (7 points, 5 rebounds) iced free throws, and Kelly hit a final triple for punctuation.

Final: Kings 85, Thunderbolts 75

Top Performers

*Career-high for Mendez

Team Trends

• Belmopan:
  • Outscored Bolts by 10 in the fourth, thanks to Mendez’s scoring and Flowers’ rebounding
  • Grabbed 15 offensive boards, converted at the line (10-for-22)
  • Defense forced 16 Thunderbolts turnovers
• Thunderbolts:
  • Young and Baptist combined for 34 boards, but Bolts shot just 21% from three and 59% from the line
  • Evans’ ejection killed late momentum
  • Short bench (no Hall, Lopez, Rene, or Johnson) wore down as the game went on

Final Word

Nisani Mendez—Belmopan’s very own, now BPBL’s brightest—announced himself with a career-high 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Flowers (18 & 10) and Pratt (15 & 3) gave the Kings the muscle, but this was Mendez’s night, and maybe his season.
The Kings are back in the hunt. The Thunderbolts leave with questions—and the rest of the league just met its new star.

But the story everyone will be talking about? Nisani Mendez, the electrifying young guard fresh out of college hoops in Arizona, dropped a career-high 23 points and put the entire league on notice. On a night where stars needed to rise, Mendez stole the spotlight and ignited the home crowd—and maybe the Kings’ entire season.