BELIZE CITY – The new era of the Belize Premier Basketball League tipped off in dramatic fashion Friday night, and the Belize City Thunderbolts wasted no time establishing themselves as early title contenders. In front of a packed house at the Civic Center, the Thunderbolts overwhelmed the EZ Investments Dangriga Dream Ballers 101–81 with a ferocious blend of speed, size, and skill to cap off opening night.

Powered by a stunning performance off the bench from Tyrone “TJ” Hall, the Thunderbolts roared past a Griga squad that simply couldn’t keep up in the second half.

“We just fed off the energy of the crowd tonight,” Hall said postgame, flashing a humble grin. “This is our home, and we wanted to make a statement.”

But while the final score hints at dominance, it was anything but a cruise. At one point in the third quarter, Griga’s Daniel Conorque had the home crowd holding its breath and dreaming of an upset.

Griga’s Opening Jab Stuns the Crowd

The first 10 minutes belonged to the Dream Ballers. With Deshawn Brackett slashing, Kevon Laurie attacking the rim, and Edgar Mitchell stroking it from long range, Griga raced out to a 20–12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Thunderbolts looked flat-footed, unsettled, and frankly outplayed. Brackett, who finished with 19 points and 10 boards, was bullying his way to the line while Laurie facilitated smartly in the halfcourt. Belize City missed free throws, looked disjointed, and were repeatedly beat in transition.

“Griga set the tone early,” said one analyst. “Bolts were on their heels. If they had kept that pressure for 40 minutes, it’s a different headline today.”

Two Teams, One Wild Opening Act

The Thunderbolts coaching staff made the adjustments fast, leaning on their bruising frontcourt and transition rhythm. Victor Evans, the league’s Swiss army knife, opened the game with a flurry of assists and boards, while Matthew Young bulldozed his way to early paint points.

By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, the Thunderbolts had clawed their way to a narrow lead, fueled by Victor Evans’ monstrous 14 first-half rebounds and timely buckets from Tyrone Hall, erasing Griga’s early dominance and taking a 38–25 edge into the locker room.

The third quarter opened with a nightmare stretch for Griga—a five-minute scoring drought that saw them miss shots, commit turnovers, and get outmuscled on the boards. As the Dream Ballers stumbled, the Thunderbolts pounced, ripping off a 17–2 run behind back-to-back buckets from Matthew Young, a corner three from Glency Lopez, and the relentless interior work of Victor Evans. What had been a manageable halftime gap ballooned into a 20-point deficit, leaving Griga shell-shocked and desperately searching for answers.

But just when Belize City looked like they might run away, Deshawn Brackett and Conorque caught fire. Brackett—a relentless slasher—scored in bunches despite constant pressure, and just before halftime, Griga was still in striking distance. Then came the Daniel Conorque Show.

Conorque’s Barrage Shakes the City

With the Dream Ballers trailing by double digits, Conorque flipped the script. The former Belize National Team sharpshooter hit five 3-pointers in a near three-minute span, single-handedly cutting the deficit and forcing Belize City into a timeout.

“That stretch… we’ve never seen a Civic crowd cheer for both teams like that,” said one fan courtside. “He caught absolute fire.”

Conorque finished with 24 points, 6-of-16 from deep, and 4 assists—an eye-popping display that reminded everyone why he’s one of the league’s most feared streak scorers.

Hall Sets the Tone

Hall lit up the scoreboard with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 triples, giving the Thunderbolts bench a turbo boost that separated the game after a tight first quarter. His efficiency was jaw-dropping—11-for-19 from the floor, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc.

Victor Evans Orchestrates a Masterclass

While Hall stole the headlines, veteran floor general Victor Evans was the quiet architect of Belize City’s dominant win. Evans nearly posted a triple-double with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 9 assists, and showcased leadership that anchored the Thunderbolts through every swing of momentum.

“Victor was Victor,” commented his teammate . “He’s our brain, our backbone, and tonight he showed why.”

Balanced Attack Leaves No Doubt

Three other Thunderbolts hit double figures, including Glency Lopez (14 pts, 5 ast, 2 stl) and Matthew Young (14 pts, 8 reb), who muscled his way through Griga’s frontcourt with power and finesse. Eyan Rene added 15 points on a crisp 7-of-12 shooting, playing a quiet but crucial role in Belize City’s 49.4% shooting performance.

The Thunderbolts also dominated the glass (68 rebounds to Griga’s 38) and controlled pace and tempo after halftime, using a suffocating second-quarter surge to build a double-digit cushion that ballooned as high as 22 late in the fourth. This was due to the lack of interior presence caused by the absence of Griga big man who is expected to arrive in time for their home opener next Saturday night. If he is the right fit, this would make Griga a much more dangerous contender for the cup.

Brackett and Conorque Fight, But Griga Stumbles

For the Dream Ballers, Deshawn Brackett fought valiantly with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but his 6-of-20 shooting told the story of the night—too many forced looks and too little rhythm. Daniel Conorque contributed 24 points, including six 3-pointers, but the rest of the supporting cast struggled to generate offense or contain Belize City’s firepower.

Up Next

The Thunderbolts (1–0) are back in action on Thursday night, May 22 when they host the PG Panthers at the Belize Civic Center at 8:00 pm, while Griga (0–1) will look to regroup ahead of next week’s Home Opener against Cayo Western Ballers.

The jungle is alive—and the Thunderbolts just sent the first thunderclap across the league.

Key Performers – Both Sides of the Jungle

Final Thoughts: Thunderbolts Make Noise, But Griga Has Bite

The Belize City Thunderbolts sent a message on opening night—they’re deep, disciplined, and dangerous. But despite the 20-point final margin, this game was far from a blowout.

Griga showed fight, firepower, and flashes of brilliance. If Conorque and Brackett can get help from their supporting cast and shore up the glass, the Dream Ballers could be a nightmare by midseason.