Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines: St Vincent and the Grenadines won the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U23 Male Championship by scoring victory over St Kitts and Nevis in the finals. 

It is to be noted that  their victory secured them a spot in the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Championship.

St Vincent and the Grenadines’ captain- Jamaar Cropper, accorded thirty-four points, and St Kitts and Nevis’ captain- Zendai Richards, racked up twenty points to lead their team from the front.

Glimpses of the match:

Both teams played ferociously during the early stages of the first set. St Vincent and the Grenadines managed to get a lead of two points at the second technical timeout, which was sufficient enough to secure their first set.

In the second set, Cropper released two serves- one-an-ace scored St Vincent and the Grenadines by two at the technical timeout.

Both the teams competed with each other; however, St Vincent and the Grenadines took a lead of one point during the second technical timeout, whereas St Kitts and Nevis failed to score any point  to level the match.

St Vincent and the Grenadines showed early signs of dominance as they took a 5-point lead going into the first technical time-out. They also managed to build a seven-point lead before St Kitts and Nevis staged a comeback through impressive blocks at the net. 

By the second technical timeout, the lead was reduced to 2 points. The game promised an engrossing affair, with the momentum swinging back and forth between the two competitors. 

The match was so closely contested that an extra frame was needed to decide the winner, which was St Vincent and the Grenadines. 

Both the teams fought with zeal and zest to claim an advantage, whereas in the second technical timeout, the competition turned out to be fiercely close. But  St Kitts and Nevis benefitted a couple of balls , which created an actual difference when in the fourth set.

St Vincent and the Grenadines teams were able to make an early separation and forced a timeout from St Kitts and Nevis. 

On the recommencement of the last set, St Vincent and the Grenadines benefitted further and pushed St Kitts and Nevis to a timeout and their lead proved unconquerable.

Individual Award Winners of the Tournament:

Cropper amassed some individual awards along with his gold medal. He was the top scorer, MVP of the tournament and best outside hitter. He was honoured  with Tournament Most Valuable Player award.

Other players who won the individual awards are:

1. Aziel Belle, St Kitts and Nevis- Best Opposite
2. Ekreen Morton, St Kitts and Nevis- Best server
3. Miguel Fofbtaine, Dominica- Best Setter
4. Rajheem Euleuns, St Maarteen- Best Receiver
5. Mervin Mingo, Dominica- Best Digger
6. Shadron Delpesche, St Vincent & the Grenadines- Best Middle Blocker
7. Malcolm Christopher, British Virgin Islands- Best Middle Blocker
8. Victor Rio, Saint Lucia- Best Outside Hitter
9. Jamaar Cropper, St Vincent & the Grenadines- Best scorer
10. Jamaar Cropper, St Vincent & the Grenadines- Best Outside Hitter