With All-Star Weekend on the horizon and Week 5 in the books, the BPBL season is heating up. We’re not quite at the halfway mark, but the tone is being set and the contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the pack. This past week brought dramatic roster shifts, historic milestones, and some high-stakes matchups that shook the standings.
Deshawn Brackett became the league’s first centurion, Cayo and San Pedro battled in a game worthy of the Jaguar Cup, and the Thunderbolts responded to a skid with the biggest signing of the season. Meanwhile, teams like PG and Belmopan are showing they’re no longer content to be middle-tier—both have the firepower and ambition to make postseason noise.
As teams brace for the critical stretch ahead, every game now feels like a playoff preview. Let’s see how the rankings stack up heading into Week 6.
7. Corozal Cerros Suns – Toucan
The Corozal Cerros Suns remained inactive this past weekend following their heartbreaking back-to-back losses to the PG Panthers. Despite showing flashes of brilliance in both outings, including a 24-point lead collapse, the Suns continue to struggle with consistency and late-game execution.
While the losses were a tough pill to swallow, the organization is not sitting idle. Talks of roster improvements are well underway, although no official waivers or signings have been announced. Still, the buzz in Corozal suggests confidence is growing that this young squad can make a run in the second half of the season.
Brandon Rogers continues to emerge as a strong and consistent third option alongside Greg “Chippy” Rudon and Jamaal Clifton. This developing trio gives the Suns a promising core to build around. The front office is expected to make moves soon to complement that nucleus.
The Suns now face one of the league’s toughest assignments—a back-to-back series against the red-hot Dangriga Dream Ballers. Griga, coming off consecutive wins, are surging into All-Star Weekend and looking to cement their position as the number two team in the Jungle. For Corozal, this weekend is about redemption, growth, and proving that their stock still holds value in the Toucan Conference.
6. PG Panthers – Toucan Conference
The PG Panthers came into Week 5 riding high after a momentum-building back-to-back win over the Cerros Suns. Sitting second in the Toucan Conference standings, just above the Dangriga Dream Ballers, the Panthers had their eyes set on a statement win to prove they belonged with the league’s elite.
For a moment, it looked like that statement was about to be delivered. PG jumped out to a commanding 20-point lead over Griga at home and had the crowd believing an upset was in the making. But that belief unraveled quickly. A sudden internal collapse in intensity and defensive discipline led to a massive 40-point swing. By the end of the third quarter, Griga had turned the tide and established a dominant double-digit lead of their own.
Still, the Panthers showed enough to suggest they’re building something legitimate. Their commitment to structured offensive sets and organized play was evident, even in the loss. While their foreign player has yet to fully live up to the hype, the emergence of Lindsey Young—who has been electric since his debut—and the continued strong play of Marquise Cunningham and defensive specialist Jaden Sutherland give this team a bright future.
The chemistry isn’t there yet, but the foundation is being laid. With more reps and time to gel, this could be the team no one wants to see come playoff time. Add in a growing fanbase and top-tier marketing from the front office, and the Panthers are quietly positioning themselves for a second-half surge.
5. Belize City Thunderbolts – Mayan
The Belize City Thunderbolts were off this past weekend, but they made the loudest noise of all teams with the biggest roster move to date: the signing of national team superstar big man Charles “Shaka” Garcia. Shaka is arguably the most dominant, experienced, and physically imposing player to ever suit up in the BPBL, and his presence instantly alters the trajectory of the Thunderbolts’ season.
With Garcia anchoring the paint, and the hopeful return of a healthy Glency “Coope” Lopez, along with a focused Victor Evans and Eyan Rene, the Thunderbolts are suddenly back in the conversation as legitimate title contenders. The addition of Shaka gives them the muscle they desperately needed inside, particularly after the release of Larry Johnson.
This weekend’s matchup against a rejuvenated Capital City Kings squad will be the first litmus test for this new-look Thunderbolts team. Chemistry between Garcia, Coope, and Evans will be under the spotlight, and how quickly they gel could define the rest of the regular season. All signs point to a potential classic, as both teams have something to prove heading into the All-Star break.
With this kind of firepower, the Thunderbolts are no longer just dangerous—they’re downright terrifying if everything clicks.
4. Belmopan Capital City Kings – Mayan
The Belmopan Capital City Kings have taken a major leap forward in the development of their young stars. Nissani Mendez exploded for 40 points in an overtime thriller against the Dangriga Dream Ballers, cementing his rise as a legitimate scoring threat. Z. Pratt is beginning to find chemistry with Mendez, while Jayden Lopez and McKenzie continue to make notable strides. Brandon “Puddy” Flowers remains an all-conference caliber player and a cornerstone for the team.
The recent signing of American big man Keondre Jackson, combined with a now-healthy Daniel Estes, gives Belmopan a formidable frontcourt duo that could be the difference-maker in their playoff push. The Kings are playing with renewed energy and confidence, and this week’s game against the newly reinforced Thunderbolts will go a long way in shaping the Mayan Conference standings.
With their young core growing stronger, the front office making strategic moves, and the signing of Keondre Jackson, Belmopan is emerging as a serious contender for home court advantage in the Mayan Cup. This weekend will reveal just how real their championship aspirations are.
3. Cayo Western Ballers – Mayan
The Cayo Western Ballers hoped this past weekend would be their official coronation as Jaguar Cup favorites. Though they ultimately fell in overtime to the more experienced San Pedro Tiger Sharks, the Western Ballers came incredibly close to sealing the deal in regulation. Without Jehad Wright on the floor, they still pushed the defending champs to the brink, proving they are legitimate title contenders.
Newly signed big man Nick Everett, a 6’8” powerhouse from Wooster College in Ohio, is still adjusting to the physicality and climate of the BPBL. Once he finds his footing, he could be the final piece of the puzzle for an already loaded Cayo roster. Jaheim Ciego continues to own the glass, while Kerwin Palacio and Arik Nicholas give them a defensive identity that no team wants to go up against.
Arik still needs to adapt to the league’s scouting and adjustments, and Dennis Flowers III must elevate his fourth-quarter play to match his star billing. The emergence of Darnell “Shabba” Oden has added a new dimension to Cayo’s frontcourt; his 20-point double-double in the big Sharks game was a breakout performance. If Shabba can bring that physicality and production every night, and if Rodrigo Barrera—Western Ballers GM—lands another scoring threat at the number two spot (where current production is under five points per game), this team could match the offensive firepower of the Sharks and Thunderbolts. If the stars rise to the moment and the supporting cast steps up, the Western Ballers won’t just contend—they’ll be right there when championship banners are raised.
2. Dangriga Dream Ballers – Toucan
The Dangriga Dream Ballers weathered the storm in Belmopan with an OT win and escaped with their ranking intact. They played without the use of a foreigner, as did Belmopan, and showed toughness on the road in the BPBL’s most heated new rivalry.
They returned home on Sunday to face the upstart PG Panthers and quickly found themselves down 20 in front of their own fans. Things looked bleak for a tired Dream Ballers squad, but then the heart of a champion took over. Griga erased the 20-point deficit and stormed back to build a nearly 20-point lead of their own by the end of the third quarter.
All of this happened with virtually no contribution from their foreign player, who logged just six minutes before being benched and later waived. The big news of the weekend was the arrival of Deshawn Brackett as the first BPBL player to score 100 points, bringing national attention and serious star power to the EZ Investments Griga Dream Ballers. GM Raneosha has been working the phones, and if the rumored high-profile signings in the pipeline materialize, Griga could become the most intimidating venue in the league for any team hoping to steal a finals or championship game on the road.
If that move materializes, the Dream Ballers may very well leapfrog to the number one spot in the Toucan Conference—or even the entire BPBL. Stay tuned, because the south is buzzing.
1. San Pedro Tiger Sharks – Toucan
For the third consecutive week, the undefeated San Pedro Tiger Sharks remain the number one team in the Jungle—and the BPBL. The Sharks passed yet another brutal test by defeating the number two team in the Toucan Conference (Griga) in overtime and following it up with another overtime win over the top team in the Mayan Conference (Cayo), both on the road and both without their team captain.
Led by Malik Hunt, who is emerging as a physically dominant force with surprisingly graceful finishing moves, the Sharks boast a roster that can beat you with speed, power, or execution. Keon Rowland and Tyrell Griffith—the two young Jaguar Cubs—are maturing quickly, and Leggy has blossomed into a legitimate starter who brings versatility and grit. This core group can match the speed of players like Arana and the strength of bruisers like Brian White or Hunt.
With Minister Devin Daily and Jehad Wright providing locker room leadership and arguably the highest basketball IQ in the league (outside of Thunderbolt vets or PG’s Alex Carcamo), this team looks locked in. Remarkably, they’ve made zero roster moves since opening day, and they continue to win blowouts, close games, and everything in between.
The Sharks are perched atop the Jaguar Hill—and right now, they look like they’re staying there.
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