St. Thomas and St. Croix high school teams vied for the championship title at the IAA / McDonald’s Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Tournament from January 12-14 at the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School gymnasium.
But it was the St. Croix teams that made it to the finals, with St. Croix Educational Complex Barracudas prevailing over St. Croix’ Central High School Caribs for the men’s championship, 53-46.
In the ladies tournament, the Charlotte Amalie High School Lady Chicken Hawks took the win over Ivanna Eudora Kean High School 45-21.
Insular Superintendent of St. Thomas-St. John District Dionne Wells-Hedrington and Aletia Hodge, McDonald’s Operations Manager for St. Thomas, were on hand to present trophies to the winning teams. “The players gave their all in the tough competitions. McDonald’s appreciates the effort of all the teams, their coaches and the organizers. We are proud to sponsor this event as part of our company initiative to promote active lifestyles and positive community events”, said Aletia Hodge.
Other trophy winners at the 2018 IAA / McDonald’s Martin Luther King Jr. Basketball Tournament included Tournament MVP Kahdeem Horsford, St. Croix Educational Complex, and Best Sportsmanship Award went to Kimani McIntosh, Central High School. Three point shootout winner was Sammuel Raphael and runner up Louis Penn III.
McDonald’s also presented Scholastic Achievement Awards to the student athletes with the highest grade averages. The top male player went to Divyesh Gurnani, Antilles School and the top female award went to Ise Commodore, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.
“McDonald’s is honored to partner with the Interscholastic Athletic Association as title sponsor for the annual IAA / McDonald’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Varsity Basketball Tournament. We believe these events promote healthy competition and are beneficial for the students and the community”, said Marisol Vega-Couto, managing director for Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands for Arcos Dorados. As an additional bonus this year, McDonald’s is awarding the winning teams with $2,000 to purchase necessary equipment and supplies for their school athletic departments.
For more information about the IAA / McDonald’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Varsity Basketball Tournament, please contact Kenny Todman, IAA Commissioner and Tournament Director at 340-642-2156.
Feature Image: Basketball tournament winners St. Croix Educational Complex Baracudas and Aletia Hodge, McDonald’s operations manager
Tags: IAA / McDonald's Martin Luther King Jr. 2018 Basketball Tournament
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