The British Virgin Islands U23 Men’s Team Finishes Sixth in Volleyball Tournament

The British Virgin Islands were one of ten countries participating in the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Associations U23 Men Volleyball Championships held in Road Town, Tortola on Oct. 10-15.

IVB, the international Olympic code for the British Virgin Islands, collected their first win of the event by defeating Anguilla (25-23; 25-22; 25-13).  IVB was led by their dynamic duo, outside hitters Javin Wattley and Kymal Panchoo. Wattley scored all but one of his game-high 13 points via successful kill attacks. Panchoo added nine kill attacks plus three service points.

IVB was outmatched by Dominica in their second game of the tournament, losing (25-13; 25-7; 25-13). Their third match was a five-set thriller that had the entire gym on the edge of their seats. Once again, IVB, outsides carried the team. Panchoo was the top scorer for IVB with 16 kills. Fellow outsides Deshawn Doyley and Jamarley Ramirez both scored 12 points each for the home team.

The final match of the first round was a crucial one for both IVB and St. Maarten. The two countries had beaten Grenada and Anguilla but had lost to Dominica. The winner of this game would be the second seed in Group A and would move on to the semi-finals while the other team’s tournament would come to an end. St. Maarten prevailed in a five-set thriller (22-25; 25-20; 25-15; 25-20; 15-13).

The championship match featured St. Kitts & Nevis (SKN) versus St. Vincent & The Grenadines (VIN). The match was close the entire way but VIN’s Jamaar Cropper proved to be too much for SKN to handle. Cropper amassed 34 points in the final game of the event.  Cropper also collected some individual awards to go along with his gold medal. He was the best outside hitter, top scorer, and MVP of the tournament.

Here are the other individual award winners of the tournament:

Best Server – Ekreen Morton – St. Kitts & Nevis

Best Opposite – Aziel Belle – St. Kitts & Nevis

Best Receiver – Rajheem Euleuns – St. Maarten

Best Digger – Mervin Mingo – Dominica

Best Setter – Miguel Fontaine – Dominica

Best Libero – Mervin Mingo – Dominica

Best Outside Hitter – Jamaar Cropper – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Best Outside Hitter – Victor Rio – St. Lucia

Best Middle Blocker – Shadron Delpesche – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Best Middle Blocker – Malcolm Christopher – British Virgin Islands

Best Scorer – Jamaar Cropper – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Tournament Most Valuable Player – Jamaar Cropper – St. Vincent & The Grenadines

Here are the final team standings:

1. Vincent & The Grenadines
2. Kitts & Nevis
3. Dominica
4. Maarten
5. Lucia
6. British Virgin Islands
7. Grenada
8. Antigua & Barbuda
9. Saba
10. Anguilla