The United States Virgin Islands Women’s Basketball National Team (ISV) ended the 2024 International Basketball Federation by achieving a historic victory by defeating Cuba 80-75 at the 2024 FIBA Centrobasket Women’s Championship in Irapuato, Mexico.
ISV women’s suffocating half-court defense held Cuba to just 15 first-quarter points, while the Virgin Islands ladies dropped 27. This set the tone for the rest of the game, as ISV had to work hard to secure the win in this game. Anisha George led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds. This multi-talented center for ISV nailed a three-point shot from five feet beyond the arc as time expired in the opening quarter. Imani Tate also registered a double-double for the winning team with 22 points and ten boards. This is the first time the ISV women have beaten Cuba in an international competition.
ISV women started this tournament with a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Dominican Republic, 95-88. George recorded her first double-double in the tournament with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Teammate Taylor Jones contributed 22 points and snagged ten boards in a losing effort.
The Virgin Islands women next faced host Mexico. The Mexican team handed ISV its worst defeat of the tournament, 85-57. George was the top scorer for ISV, with 17. Tate contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Virgin Islands.
ISV ended the tournament with three straight wins. The first was an 87-58 beating of Guatemala. Costa Rica also fell to the Virgin Islands by a score of 81-47. ISV’s win over Cuba earned them a fifth-place finish.
Anisha George had herself an outstanding tournament for ISV as she finished tied for first in the tournament in double-doubles with three, tied for second in rebounds per game with 10.4, second in blocks per game with 1.4, fourth in steals with 2.2, and fifth in scoring with 17.2. Lanese Bough was also one of the tournament’s top performers, as she dished out 5.2 assists per game.
