St. Vincent and the Grenadines secured an impressive second-place finish at the inaugural Association of National Olympic Committees of the OECS (ANOCES) U23 3×3 Basketball Tournament held in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
The regional tournament featured participation from six Caribbean nations and showcased some of the region’s emerging basketball talent.
Representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines were athletes Elroy Joseph, Adrian Sam, Maxron Dublin and Aquando Henry, accompanied by Coach Vasha Adams. Executive member Tevin Bynoe also travelled with the delegation and took part in referee and technical training workshops during the event.
Team SVG opened the tournament on Saturday, May 16, with a narrow 14-12 victory over Dominica before falling to eventual champions St. Kitts and Nevis 21-8 in their second game of the day.
Despite the setback, SVG advanced to the semi-finals on Sunday, May 17, where the Vincentian side delivered one of its strongest performances of the tournament, defeating Grenada 18-12 to secure a place in the championship final.
In the final, Team SVG once again faced a strong St. Kitts and Nevis team, which had earlier defeated the British Virgin Islands in the other semi-final matchup. SVG fought hard throughout the contest but eventually went down 20-15, earning a commendable runner-up finish overall.
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation (SVGBF) praised the players for their discipline, resilience and sportsmanship throughout the tournament.
According to the federation, the team’s performance reflects the continued growth and development of basketball in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and highlights the potential of the country’s young athletes on the regional stage.
The federation also commended ANOCES, the tournament hosts in the British Virgin Islands, the Caribbean Basketball Confederation and FIBA Americas for providing opportunities for regional athletic competition and technical development.
SVGBF congratulated Team SVG on the achievement and expressed confidence in the continued progress of Vincentian basketball in future regional competitions.