St Joseph’s Convent lead charge as National School hoops tip off in Pleasantville

The hardwood is set to sizzle at the Southern Regional Indoor Sport Arena as the T&T School’s Basketball Association (TTSBA) National Championships officially tip off Wednesday in Pleasantville, San Fernando.

​Leading the charge into the three-day tournament are the St Joseph’s Convent Port-of-Spain (SJCPOS), who arrive in San Fernando fresh off a dominant sweep of the North Zone. The SJCPOS outfit cemented their status as title favourites by capturing both the Under-15 and Open Girls Division crowns.

​The SJCPOS U-15 squad was nothing short of a juggernaut in the zonal qualifiers, finishing with a perfect 4-0 record and outscoring opponents by staggering margins, including a 37-2 victory over Holy Name Convent. The other time the teams met, SJCPOS won 23-0. St Joseph’s Convent also swept its series against East Mucurapo, winning 23-8 and 29-4. Their relentless energy and precision left opponents struggling to keep pace, showcasing the depth of talent and discipline within the programme.

​The Open Girls team showed a different kind of strength–resilience. After a narrow two-point (22-20) stumble against Holy Name, St Joseph’s rallied to win their remaining fixtures, including a gritty 25-20 clincher against East Mucurapo Secondary. In other wins, SJC topped East Mucurapo, 18-5 and Holy Name, 20–17.

“Winning both divisions is a testament to the players’ hard work and spirit,” Physical Education teacher Giselle Darlington said. “We are ready to bring this energy to Nationals.”

​The tournament brings together the elite from the North, East, and South/Central zones. Competition runs from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Admission is set at $10 for students in uniform and $20 for the general public.

While SJCPOS looks to sweep the girls’ categories, the Boys’ divisions feature heavyweights like Fatima College, appearing in three age groups (U-13, U-17, and U-20), and St Benedict’s College, representing the South/Central pride in the U-15 and U-20 categories.

Zonal winners

Boys

U-13: Fatima (North), Hillview (East)

U-15: St Mary’s (North), Arima North (East), St Benedict’s (South/Central)

U-17: Fatima (North), Trinity East (East), Chaguanas North (South/Central)

U-20: Fatima (North), St Benedict’s (South/Central)

Girls

U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North), Five Rivers (East), Palo Seco (South/Central)

Open: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North), Five Rivers (East), Fyzabad Anglican (South/Central)

Today’s matches

Boys U-13: Fatima (North) vs Hillview (East), 10 am

Girls U-15: Five Rivers (East) vs Palo Seco (South/Central), 10.45 am

Boys U-15 semifinal 1: St Mary’s (North) vs St Benedict’s (South/Central), 11.30 am

Girls U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North) vs Palo Seco (South/Central), 12.15 pm

Boys U-15: Tobago vs Arima North (East), 1 pm

Girls U-15: St Joseph Convent Port-of-Spain (North) vs Five Rivers (East), 1.45 pm

Girls Open semifinal 1: Fyzabad Anglican (South/Central) vs Five Rivers (East), 2.30 pm