Sports
BVI’s D’Moi Hodge creates history, breaks US college basketball record!
By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor
(JTV News) — British Virgin Islands guard, D’Moi Hodge, representing the University of Missouri, created history on Wednesday night when he broke the Missouri Tiger’s all-time record for most steals in one season.
Hodge achieved this feat during the Tigers’ 81-76 comeback victory against Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Missouri men’s team, with Hodge’s help, overcame a 19-point deficit.
Hodge ended the game with 23 points and five steals.
“I could write a whole story about how it feels to be in the History books but I’M NOT DONE YET… So I‘ll wait a lil,” Hodge wrote on his Facebook profile page on Thursday.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that Hodge entered the game with 73 steals and left with 77, breaking the 76 set by Lynn Hardy during the 1986-87 campaign.
“The record-breaking steal came with 11:34 remaining in the game, and Hodge turned it into a three-pointer to tie the game at 59. It was the first time Missouri had pulled even with LSU since the Bayou Bengals hit a three-pointer just 12 seconds into the first half,” the Tribune reported.
Hodge was reported as saying by the Tribune that he didn’t really know how many steals he had until after the game.
“I was never thinking about the records during the game. I just keep telling (MU athletics associate director of strategic communications) Jason (Veniskey), I don’t want to break it away, I want to break it at home,” Hodge said.
According to the Tribune: “Hodge’s journey with Missouri coach Dennis Gates started when he joined Gates’ Cleveland State team before his junior year. Hodge liked Gates anyway, but the deal was sealed when the coach flew to the British Virgin Islands to meet his family.
“The guard, who joined Cleveland State after a stint at State College of Florida, soon met Tre Gomillion and Deante “Spider” Johnson, who taught him how to be more competitive about defense. Gates also hands out a defensive award after every game, which further motivated him.”
Hodge said in the Tribune that at Cleveland State it was always personal.
“…Part of the joy of playing defense, trying to win that award after every game, that was the biggest thing starting off and it just carried on for the rest of my career,” he was quoted as saying.
Hodge is reportedly in his final season of eligibility and will be honored along with eight of his teammates during Missouri’s senior day ceremony before its regular season finale against Ole Miss, the Tribune reported.
Local News
BVI Barracudas Shine at 2024 VISF Short Course Championships with Record Medal Haul
The British Virgin Islands Barracudas Swim Team returned from the 2024 Virgin Islands Swimming Federation (VISF) Short Course Championships in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, with 47 individual medals along with three second-place relay finishes, a vast improvement from last year’s 20 medals.
“We’re incredibly proud of the Barracudas’ achievements this year,” said a team representative. “Our swimmers put in the hard work, achieving 55 personal best times, and showing immense growth with more than double last year’s medal count. Their dedication is paying off.”
The team’s success was especially evident among its youngest swimmers, with many trying new events and demonstrating advanced techniques for the first time. Swimmers as young as eight made a mark, excelling in events like breaststroke pullouts and flip turns—a challenging feat given the team’s limited access to training facilities with regulation flags and pools back home.
Leading the charge, eight-year-old Skylar Steer clinched first place in five events, including the 25m Freestyle (20.14) and 100m Freestyle (1:37.15). Teammate Naya Bissoondutt also delivered top results, securing two first-place finishes in the 8 & Under category, while fellow swimmer William Vergel placed on the podium in three events, underscoring the young team’s depth of skill and potential.
The Barracudas’ relay teams also performed admirably, with the Mixed 8 & Under Medley and Freestyle Relay teams both taking second-place finishes, adding to the team’s impressive medal count.
Older team members brought in strong results as well, with Kyrique Matthew in the Boys 11-12 category capturing first in four events, including the 100m Freestyle (1:25.26) and the 200m Breaststroke (4:06.46). Princess Samantha Vergel and Amaury Rosan-Jones also contributed significantly in their respective age categories.
“We are immensely grateful to everyone who helped make this meet possible,” noted the team, extending thanks to the VISF, event officials, supportive parents, and sponsors, including Aquatic Rentals VI, ATU, Island Shipping, John Duncan, and Nanny Cay, where the team was able to train in preparation for the championships.
Reflecting on the team’s progress, a Barracudas representative remarked, “The hard work and dedication of our swimmers has truly shone through. We are extremely proud of their achievements and look forward to more success in the future. This accomplishment is the result of a strong community effort.”
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Local News
Team BVI Falls to Rugby Puerto Rico in International Test Match, 51-27
Local News
BVI Archery Team Returns with 9 Medals from Regional Championship in Jamaica
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) archery team has returned home with 2 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze medals from the 2024 WAAm Caribbean Development Championship, held in Kingston, Jamaica. The event, which took place from September 18 to 22, gathered top talent from across the Caribbean and beyond.
Kellyann Tillac and Naomi Onwufuju each secured a gold medal, while Keandre Matthew, Javelin Frett, and Kellyann Tillac (who won two silvers) brought home four silver medals. The BVI also claimed three bronze medals, with Keandre Matthew earning two and Keyara Smith securing one.
The BVI squad, consisting of both beginner and developmental archers, competed against athletes from several regional heavyweights, including Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
The competition featured athletes across multiple categories. Representing the BVI in the Recurve Beginner Under 15 Men category was Matthew Keandré, while David Persaud competed in the Recurve Developmental Men category. In the Compound Beginner Under 15 Women category, Kasadiyah Baird competed alongside Naomi Onwufuju and Keyara Smith, who took part in the Compound Developmental Under 18 Women category. Javlyn Frett also competed in the Compound Developmental Women category, with Kellyann Tillack rounding out the squad in the Recurve Beginner Under 18 Women category.
Guided by coaches Ritseeniyah Georges and Patrick Smith, the BVI archers showed significant growth throughout the championship.
Jamaica, the host nation, fielded the largest team with 34 members, and the competition also saw strong participation from countries like the Bahamas, Guyana, the US Virgin Islands, and the United States. The high calibre of competition made the BVI’s medal haul even more remarkable, as the event brought together some of the region’s best archers.
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