ALL-STAR NIGHT · MALONEY · 18 OCTOBER 2026
Boyds, Francis, celebs show out on EBL All-Star night
The All-Star festivities in the inaugural Electrical Industries Group Elite Basketball League (EBL) season delivered on all fronts at the Maloney Indoor Sport Complex on Sunday night, as more than 1,100 spectators enjoyed a thrilling three-point shootout, an exhilarating dunk contest and two entertaining All-Star games.
With popular figures including Hashim Arcia, Chollo, Jaron Nurse, Khary Pierre, Wadicks, MP Christian Birchwood and Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander gracing the court, the league’s stars also made their presence felt.
Ahkeem “Fato” Boyd edged fellow Maloney player Tyrese Fields to claim the three-point crown, while William Francis won an all-Spartans dunk final against Michael McCarthy. The Celebrity team and Team Boyd then claimed victories in the night’s two showcase games.
Celebrities shine as Elijah takes MVP honours
The celebrities were not to be left out. With soca artiste Erphaan Alves sitting courtside and dancehall star Kman treating the audience to a live performance, the Celebrity team defeated the Commissioner’s team 58–42.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander was among those who took to the court during the Celebrity All-Star game.
Taking a break from his commentary duties, poet Derron Sandy led the Celebrity team with 18 points and 14 rebounds. But it was 13-year-old Fatima College player Elijah Corentin-Riley who walked away with the game’s MVP award after scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while adding three assists and three steals.
Wadicks, known for “Mr Beat Rum Bad”, also shone for the Celebrity team, scoring 13 points, including three makes from beyond the arc. Former Defence Force standout Gerald “Nate” Toney kept the Commissioner’s team competitive with 12 points, all from three-pointers, along with five steals and eight rebounds.
Boyds take over on home soil
The Celebrity game served as the appetiser for the EBL All-Star game. With captains Ahkeel “Smally” Boyd and Tyrik Singh agreeing during Thursday’s draft to play minimal defence, a high-scoring contest was always anticipated.
A first-quarter three-point onslaught helped Team Boyd race to a 40–26 lead, but Team Singh cut the deficit to a single point by half-time, with Team Boyd ahead 62–61.
After watching Spartans teammate Francis put on a show in the dunk contest, Zachary Julien displayed his own athleticism with a series of high-flying dunks. He led all scorers with 14 points at half-time and finished with a game-high 34. Francis added 19, but Team Singh still trailed 91–80 entering the final quarter.
Team Singh opened the fourth with a 16–6 run, trimming the deficit to 97–96 with 5:20 remaining. Julien scored 14 points in the period as his three-point shooting briefly pushed Team Singh ahead. Team Boyd, however, made the decisive plays down the stretch, with twin brothers Smally and Fato scoring 30 and 14 points respectively to secure a 114–107 victory.
Smally was named EBL All-Star MVP after a 30-point performance that included eight three-pointers.
Fato claims the three-point crown
In the shootout, it was Fato who grabbed the limelight. He defeated Fields 16–11 in the final after also edging the Morvant Oilbirds player 16–14 in a tense second round.
Fato set the pace from the opening round with ten points. Fields and Josiah John-Andrew each scored nine, while Sadiki Guerra tallied eight to complete the four qualifiers. Smally, with seven points, Adrian Joseph, with five, and Idriis Martin, with four, were eliminated after round one.
Guerra and John-Andrew could not keep pace with the Maloney pair in the second round, leaving Fato and Fields to contest the final. The mild-mannered Fato maintained his rhythm to become the EBL’s three-point champion.
Francis takes flight
The three-point shootout belonged to Maloney, but the dunk contest was all about the Spartans. McCarthy registered the competition’s only perfect score, earning 50 points for a reverse alley-oop on his opening attempt and finishing the first round with 89 points.
Francis topped the six-man opening round with scores of 46 and 44 for a total of 90, having started with an impressive reverse dunk of his own. Southside Elite’s Mikiel Phillips, with 86 points, and Caledonia Clippers’ Adam Salazar, with 85, narrowly missed the final.
With one dunk apiece in the final, McCarthy attempted to soar over three seated patrons after taking off from just before the free-throw line. He missed both attempts but received 30 points for the audacious effort. Francis then sealed the title with 43 points for a reverse alley-oop from a Salazar assist.
Fato and Francis each earned a trophy and a $1,000 cash prize. Ronson Hackshaw, Acting Director at the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, presented Fato with his trophy, while Minister of Justice Devesh Maharaj presented Francis with his. Francis also received a new pair of sneakers from cricket star Khary Pierre. The winners of the two All-Star games earned $1,500 each, to be donated to a school or charity of their choice.
