Elmore Stoutt High School Rams' Daryl Alexander, drives past BVI Tech's Chris Telemaque in the championship game. Photo>Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway

TORTOLA—The Elmore Stoutt High School Rams retained inter-secondary schools basketball tournament title, by riding MVP Kelvin Samuel’s game high 31 points and 14 rebounds, for a, 62-44 victory, over the BVI Technical and Vocational Institute, in Monday’s final at the Multipurpose Sports Complex.

Samuel—the leading scorer in all three games—also had eight assists and two blocks. Captain Leslie Smith contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, in the contest that the Rams lead 26-20, at the half, before putting the game away in the fourth quarter with a 16-8 run.

Kevin Issac topped BVI Tech with 12 points, to go with eight rebounds and five steals. Jensen Samuel—Kelvin’s cousin—finished with 11 points, while Coy Dore added another nine.

“At one point, it seemed like it would have been a close game, but then I realized they had not put on their real game face or the real game plan,” noted tournament coordinator Jason Rubaine. “By the time they did that, it was basically over for the BVI Tech. I personally believe that had BVI Tech had been an actual team during the year leading up to the event, they might have given them a closer run or might have even beaten them.”

Rams coach Irad “Cigar” Smith said his team has travelled to several tournaments in St. Thomas which has given them a greater level of experience over their opponents. “Because of that, they can compete,” he said. “They go off to compete yearly.”  

Tournament award winners: L-R: Daryl Alexander, Kelvin Samuel, Tiffany Jennings, Dominique Wattley and Jacoy Brathwaite

Bodean Samuel scored 16 of his game high 18 points in the first half, to lead the Bregado Flax Educational Center senior squad to third place, with a, 44-30, victory over St. Georges. Irvin Young and Kirk O’Neal added six points each. St. Georges got 10 points from Quemelle Hodge, with Jacoy Brathwaite and Deron Smith contributing eight and seven points to the tally.

The tournament award recipients are as follows:

Girls: Most points: Tiffany Jennings, Elmore Stoutt, 35. Most Rebounds: Kishma Martin, Elmore Stoutt, 14. Most Blocks: Dominique Wattley, Elmore Stoutt, 2. Most Assists: Tiffany Jennings, Elmore Stoutt; 7. Most Steals: Tiffany Jennings, Elmore Stoutt, 16. MVP: Tiffany Jennings, Elmore Stoutt.

Boys: Most points: Kelvin Samuel, Elmore Stoutt, 66. Most Rebounds: Jacoy Bratwaithe, St. Georges, 28. Most Blocks: St. Georges, 5. Most Assists: Kelvin Samuel, Elmore Stoutt, 15. Most Steals: Daryl Alexander, Elmore Stoutt, 16. MVP: Kelvin Samuel, Elmore Stoutt.