UALR, Jacksonville State, Southern Miss and Coppin State are the four
schools scheduled to participate in the BVI Tropical Shootout to be held at the
Multi-Purpose Sports Complex in Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, from
Dec. 20-21.
The tournament’s new organizers said this week the event will
definitely be played. Travel arrangements for the teams are being made. Three
will arrive on Dec. 18 and the other on Dec. 19. They will return home on Dec.
22 and 23.
However, Burn The Horse learned this week that the event was on the
verge of cancellation in mid-to-late-November – maybe even as late as the past
two weeks. The tournament was saved by a new organizational group, which has
stepped in and taken over.
In mid-November, Tournament organizer Steve E. Parillon told Virgin
Island News he was seeking community support to keep the tournament alive.
“Right now I’m short on funds so I’m trying to create a pledge to make
this event possible,” he said. “Canceling this event would be very detrimental
to the country.”
Another report at that time said the schools had given Parillon one
week to make a decision about the tournament.
Last week, JTV News’ Sports Desk did a segment on the tournament with
the event’s new organizers. They reported the event was now being put on by Basketball Events Management, BVI
Limited, a non-profit organization responsible for the tournament. Parillon is
not part of the new committee. The U.S. Virgin Islands government is also involved.
This is the first year for NCAA Division I teams playing in this event.
Watch JTV's Sports Desk segment here: http://youtu.be/mEETGoSLjB4
