The University of the Virgin Islands men’s basketball team was dominant in a 93-73 victory over VI Elite in their Homecoming game on Friday night and the Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center.

Initially, UVI was stunned as VI Elite surged to a 14-7 lead early in the first half. However, graduate forward Brandon Rasmussen ignited the Buccaneer offense, scoring 10 consecutive points to bring his team within three. The tide turned when junior guard Devin Binyard converted one of his three steals into an assist for sophomore Ahijaa Sweeney’s layup, giving UVI the lead. This moment would be pivotal as the Buccaneers would build on their lead and would not look back, taking a 49-34 lead into halftime.

“We started a bit sluggish, but we managed to pick up the pace and play our style, forcing turnovers,” said head coach Kevin Sheppard. “We capitalized on steals, turning them into easy points on the other end of the floor. That was our identity last season, and we aim to replicate it this year again. We didn’t shoot well from beyond the three-point line, and that’s going to happen at times, which is why we will continue to focus on our defense. We did perform well on offense, though. Ninety-three points isn’t something to overlook.”

In the second half, the Buccaneers maintained their intensity, forcing 11 turnovers and converting them into immediate offense, further extending their lead. UVI led by as much as 23 points in a game that featured only one tie and one lead change, highlighting their dominance.

As a team, the Buccaneers shot 48% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Notably, they scored 62 of their 93 points in the paint, establishing their offensive presence around the basket.

Rasmussen led the way for the Buccaneers, scoring a game-high 25 points

Junior guard Chad Molloy would chip in 21 points of his own, along with five steals on the defensive end of the floor.

Senior forward Eliyah Stevens and Binyard would be two other Buccaneers who each contributed 14 points.

For VI Elite Micaiah Jones had 24 points.

With the exhibition schedule now concluded, UVI turns its focus to the regular season. The Buccaneers will open the regular season on the road, traveling to Little Rock, Arkansas, to face Philander Smith University, a fellow member of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC), on November 15.

A determined group of triathletes took on “The Beast of the East” on Sunday morning, battling not only the grueling course but also strong easterly winds. The Beauty and The Beast Triathlon was hosted by the Virgin Islands Triathlon Federation.

Staged at Cramers Park, the featured Olympic-distance triathlon included a 1-mile swim, 25-mile bike, and 10K run, with a relay option for teams. Competitors also had the choice of a Sprint-distance event (800-meter swim, 14.5-mile bike, 5K run).

The race began with a short delay after organizers discovered that one of the swim buoys had drifted away and needed to be reset. Once underway, athletes immediately felt the challenge of the conditions—swimmers contended with a stiff current on the return leg, while cyclists battled a relentless headwind on the way back from the turnaround near Cane Garden on Southside Road. Despite overcast skies, it proved to be a demanding but rewarding day of racing.

Relay swimmer Bob Halk led the group out of the water with an impressive time of 24:50. He was followed by Antonio Galiber in 27:26 and Stacey Stone in 27:49.

On the bike, the Virgin Islands’ top triathlete and elite cyclist Stephen Swanton surged ahead, overtaking the field and completing the 25-mile course in just 1:09:23. His wife, Robin Seila, dominated the women’s division with the second-fastest time overall (1:17:23). Sue Brown, cycling for Team Halk/Brown/Nadler, posted the third-fastest bike split.

Swanton maintained his lead through the run, conquering the challenging double climb to Point Udall and finishing the 10K in 49:15. Chris Ray turned in the fastest run of the day (48:53) to move his relay team into third place overall, while Mollie Nadler’s strong 10K secured first place for her team in the relay division.

Olympic Division Results
Men: 1. Stephen Swanton, 2. Billy Bohlke, 3. Mike Nantz
Women: 1. Robin Seila, 2. Esther Ellis, 3. Kat Brownsdon

Olympic Relay Results

1. Bob Halk / Sue Brown / Mollie Nadler
2. Stacey Stone / Kevin Burton / Chris Ray
3. Jaiden Cintron / Mervin Mills / Paul Adjodia

In the Sprint Division, Allison Janusziewicz and Megan Mault went head-to-head. Janusziewicz built a strong lead on the bike and held off Mault’s faster run to take the win in 1:47:04. Mault finished close behind in 1:52:45.

The VITF has a busy schedule ahead:

• Sunday, Nov. 16: Fall Fling Splash ‘N Dash at Bungalows, a swim/run event for kids ages 5–15
• Sunday, Dec. 7: Reindeer Run Half Marathon & 5K at Cane Bay

For more information on multi-sport events, please contact info@vitf.org or call 340-513-2707.

First came the bad luck — sunglasses overboard, raincoat gone, and the GPS lost. That last mishap meant relying on the battery life of three cell phones to navigate the Calypso 40, Gypsy King, along the edge of the Virgin Islands South Drop for the day. Then came the good fortune. One wahoo hit, then another.

The third, a hefty 44.4-pounder, proved the charm that earned Gypsy King angler, St. Thomas’ Walt Basnight, the Top Angler title in Sunday’s Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Wahoo Windup, held out of IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina. Basnight’s catch was just over 30 pounds shy of winning the $25,000 prize for the tournament angler who caught the largest wahoo over 75 pounds.

“We had a good morning, catching four wahoo in rapid fire by 9 a.m., all while high-speed trolling,” says Basnight. “When I hooked up the third one, I could tell it was a good-sized fish. It pulled a lot more drag.”

Meanwhile, St. Thomas’ KJ Terry, angling off Double Header II, caught the Second Largest wahoo at 37.8 pounds, while St. Thomas’ Matthew Laban, on Double Header I, brought the Third Largest wahoo to the scales, weighing in at 37.6 pounds.

The Best Boat prize, determined by the most wahoo by count, went to Miss Lucy, a 39’ Sea-Vee, with 10 wahoo weighing a total of 190.8 pounds.

“I had my good luck charm with me today,” says Miss Lucy Captain Chris Berry, about having his 12-year-old daughter, Addalynn, on board. “She caught her first four wahoo today, which for me was pretty special in itself.”

Fifteen boats from St. Thomas and St. Croix collectively reeled in 46 wahoo, weighing a total of 838.1 pounds.

Trophies and cash prizes were awarded to the winners.

“Despite the forecast, the quantity of boats and the quantity of fish caught brought out great camaraderie and sportsmanship in all participants,” says Kelvin Bailey, Jr., president of the Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club’s Board of Directors.

The Virgin Islands Game Fishing Club appreciates the support of DPNR’s Fish & Wildlife staff for conducting the official weigh-in, sponsorship support from IGY’s American Yacht Harbor Marina and Neptune Fishing Supplies, and the Club’s much-appreciated volunteers.

For more information about the Club and its events, call (340) 775-9144, Email: usvigfc@gmail.com, or Visit: www.vigfc.com

The University of the Virgin Islands women’s basketball team found itself on the wrong side of an overtime thriller against Virgin Islands Elite Women on Friday night at Elridge W. Blake Sports and Fitness Center. With regulation not being enough, an extra five-minute period was needed to decide the result in a 78-74 loss for the Lady Buccaneers.

UVI got off to a hot start in the first period of the game, shooting 40% from the field and 40% from behind the arc. A three-point shot at the buzzer by junior guard Atalia Thomas gave the Lady Buccaneers a commanding 23-11 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Lady Buccaneers would take their foot off the gas slightly in the second quarter, allowing VI Elite to close the gap, but would keep them at bay, taking a nine-point advantage into half, 38-29.

The third quarter saw defensive struggles for UVI, resulting in a 14-2 run by VI Elite, who would take the lead

48-46 late in the period.

The Lady Buccaneers responded resiliently, battling from behind until junior forward Natalie Williams reclaimed the lead with a jump shot in the fourth quarter, making it 55-54. The teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the period, with neither side able to assert dominance. With under 30 seconds left and the score tied at 69, both teams made attempts to clinch the game in regulation, but neither succeeded.

In Overtime, the Lady Buccaneers’ Offense would stall, shooting woes would allow VI Elite to cling to a four-point lead and escape with a 78-74 win.

“We took the game into overtime, which is a testament to our defense and offense,” said head coach Stephanie Cooper. “We just have to remember to stay focused for the entire 40 minutes. We had some possessions with crucial turnovers, which ultimately cost us the game, and the numbers worked in their favor late in the game.”

Junior forward Keshara Romain achieved her third consecutive double-double this season, scoring 18 points and adding 12 rebounds. Romain has now recorded a double-double in three of the five contests for the Lady Buccaneers this season. The 5-foot-11 forward also contributed three steals and two assists.

Junior forward Natalie Williams also recorded a double-double, with 14 points and 10 rebounds, marking her second of the season.

The Lady Buccaneers will now travel to Austin, Texas, for their upcoming games. They will face Jarvis Christian University on Friday, November 7, followed by the opening of Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) schedule against the Stillman College Lady Tigers on November 8. Both games will be held at a neutral site during the Tiffany Jackson HBCU Classic at Branch Gymnasium, located on the campus of Hutson-Tillotson University.