SAN GERMAN, Puerto Rico – The Virgin Islands women's basketball team, playing the final six minutes with only five players, lost for the second straight time in the Central America and Caribbean University Sports Games.
This time, the young, banged-up Virgin Islands team dropped an 80-40 decision to Colombia and was knocked out of championship contention at the Inter American University gym. The top two teams in the regional tournament will play for the championship Saturday. The third- and fourth-place teams in the preliminary round will compete for the bronze medal.
The Virgin Islands, which is battling for a fourth seed, was trying to rebound from a 114-48 loss to Mexico on Monday. The Virgin Islands' only win in the five-team field came by forfeit to the Dominican Republic on Sunday.
The Virgin Islands played the final six minutes without injured D'Mour King (ankle), Tessa Reid (knee) and Leshell Liebert (shoulder). In addition, Felicia James fouled out with six minutes remaining after scoring 18 points. King did not dress and left Puerto Rico for St. Croix on Tuesday. Reid and Liebert were hurt during Tuesday game and did not re-enter.
"We gave more effort today than the day before," said V.I. head coach Albert Hazard. "Still, it wasn't enough. Our players are not in shape."
The Virgin Islands fell behind 14-4 but cut the deficit to 21-18 with six minutes remaining in the first half. Colombia went on a 19-8 run to take a 40-26 lead into halftime.
Trailing by 18 points with 12 minutes remaining, the Virgin Islands came within 59-50 with 6 minutes, 30 seconds remaining, but could not overcome fatigue and the clutch shooting by Colombia, 1-1.
Jhudy Gonzalez, who plays at Oklahoma City University, paced Colombia with 20 points. Colombia's other U.S.-based college player, Levys Torres, plays at Florida State.
Three recent high school graduates – Liebert, Reid and Deslyn Haywood – are starters for the Virgin Islands. James, the 1999 Black College All-Star Game Most Valuable Player and Natasha Lettsome, the Appalachian State forward, are the two veterans on the squad. Lettsome led the Virgin Islands with 23 points and Nicole Bergan added 15 points.
The women's team will conclude the round-robin preliminary round against host Puerto Rico.
In other V.I. basketball action, the men's team took a major step toward a championship berth Tuesday with a 85-73 victory over Mexico at the Inter American University gym.
Alphonso Niles scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half and four Virgin Islanders scored in double figures as the team improved to 2-1.
"They played with an urgency," said V.I. head coach Jose Paris. "They knew this was do or die as far as making the final."
The Virgin Islands can assure itself a spot in the championship with victories over the Dominican Republic and Colombia. The V.I. plays the Dominican Republic on Wednesday and Colombia on Thursday.
"The players came together and gave themselves for the team and the Virgin Islands," Paris said. "A whole is greater than any part."
Niles, a Sts. Peter & Paul School graduate, and Cuthbert Victor, a St. Joseph's graduate, had 16 points apiece for the Virgin Islands. Victor, a Murray State signee, had 14 points in the first half. Johnson Isidore pumped in 11 of his 14 points in the second half and Tyrone Allick finished the game with 11 points.
The top two teams in the six-team preliminary round will reach the men's final on Saturday.
The Virgin Islands took care of business from the start. Victor hit a 3-pointer seconds after the tip and the Virgin Islands held the lead until Mexico tied the game at 21 with 12 minutes remaining. The contest was delayed for more than an hour after heavy rains caused a leak in the gym. The Virgin Islands took a 40-35 lead into halftime and enjoyed double-digit advantages for most of the second half.