PSA Athletics wraps up successful Paradise Showdown, Nov. Championship Week up next

GREAT BAY--The PSA Athletics Association has successfully concluded the second annual Paradise Showdown 15U Basketball Tournament, held from October 4 to 8, 2025, bringing together more than 90 young athletes from across the Caribbean for five days of high-level basketball, training, and cultural exchange.

With momentum from the tournament’s success, the PSA is already looking ahead to its next major event, the High School Basketball League Championship Week, scheduled for November 4 to 6, 2025, at the L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium. Admission is just $2, and fans are encouraged to come out and support their schools as the island’s top teams battle for the championship title.

The Paradise Showdown opened with remarks by the Hon. Melissa Gumbs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport (ECYS), who praised the PSA for its leadership in youth sports development. Founder and Tournament Director Omar Beauperthuy also addressed the audience, introducing the participating countries as their national anthems were played, setting a proud and energetic tone for the event. The opening ceremony drew an enthusiastic in-person crowd and over 1,700 online viewers via livestream.

Host country Sint Maarten launched the tournament with a victory over Grenada. Over the following days, visiting coaches from the United States led specialized training sessions focusing on conditioning, discipline, and advanced technical skills. A FIBA-certified referee from the Netherlands Basketball Bond (NBB) conducted workshops to improve officiating quality, offering morning and post-game sessions for referees.

A major highlight this year was the introduction of training sessions for girls, held daily for four days. These sessions gave young female athletes a platform to develop their skills with visiting coaches, an important step toward inclusivity in regional youth basketball.

Three local coaches, two from Sint Maarten and one from Saba, also completed the practical portion of their Level 3 Coaching Certification during the event, after eight months of online coursework, marking a milestone in local coaching development.

The final day of competition saw Sint Maarten secure third place with a win over Aruba, followed by the debut of the All-Star Game featuring 24 standout players split into Team Sunrise and Team Sunset, with Sunset emerging victorious.

In the championship match, defending champions Saint Martin dominated Curaçao with a 92–55 victory, maintaining their undefeated record under Coaches Hyman and Mataly for a second consecutive year.

The PSA Athletics Association expressed gratitude to sponsors, partners, and volunteers who made the event possible and reaffirmed its commitment to developing youth sports across the region.

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