ST. CROIX — In an exciting development for the Virgin Islands, two college basketball stars with roots in the territory are making waves in the NCAA Final Four, highlighting the territory’s deep connection with basketball.
The young basketball players will face off today with family support in the stands as Duke and Houston, both No. 1 seeds, compete against each other in the national semifinal of the NCAA Tournament Final Four from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
J’Wan Roberts, who was born on St. Thomas and honed his skills on local courts to include Paul M. Pearson Gardens housing community, is a forward for the University of Houston who will hit the court for his second Final Four game.
Patrick Ngongba II, who plays center for Duke University, has strong connections to St. Croix through his mother Tajama Ngongba, a Crucian who has been head coach of the Virgin Islands Senior Women’s Basketball Team off and on for about 15 years.
Jeff Roberts discussed his son’s excitement and nervousness about returning to the NCAA semifinals during his last year of college basketball.
“He’s excited, looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “He’s always up for the challenge. I might say he’s a little bit nervous, but he’s definitely excited and looking forward to it.”
The Roberts family’s basketball heritage runs deep. J’Wan Roberts’ mother, Elbe Brathwaite, was a championship basketball player at the University of the Virgin Islands, and his father played at the junior college level before an injury halted his professional aspirations. Jeff Roberts said he played basketball with his son from an early age.
“It’s in the blood,” he said. “He was actually born to play basketball if you ask me.”
After growing up on St. Thomas and attending Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School, J’Wan Roberts moved to Texas to live with his aunt. He played high school basketball, leading to his recruitment to the University of Houston on a basketball scholarship.
Jeff Roberts, president of the J’Wan Roberts Foundation, continues to support youth on St. Thomas through basketball mentorship. He will also be supporting his son by attending today’s game along with J’Wan Roberts’ mother and aunt.
“I’m excited for him, happy for him,” Jeff Roberts said. “It’s part of the game. It’s what he signed up for. It’s about going out there and just playing ball, you know, leave everything else on the side.”
While J’Wan Roberts will be competing in his second Final Four match up, Patrick Ngongba II will experience the excitement for his first time.
Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Virginia, Patrick Ngongba II has visited St. Croix multiple times during his mother's coaching tenure. His mother noted that during these visits, her son would sometimes help as a practice player for the team, with her jokingly saying she needed “a body” and would recruit him to assist. He is now displaying his skills as a freshman player for Duke as he heads to the Final Four after being recruited out of high school on a basketball scholarship.
“He’s super excited,” Tajama Ngongba said. “You know, being able to get to that point as a freshman is a big deal. He’s absolutely thrilled about making it to the Final Four with his team.”
Patrick Ngongba II wears the iconic number 21 in tribute to retired basketball legend and St. Croix native Tim Duncan, who he had a chance to work with last summer in San Antonio, Texas, where Duncan played 19 years for the Spurs. Patrick Ngongba II has overcome significant challenges this season. After breaking a bone in his foot in November 2023 and missing his entire high school senior year, he persevered to become a key player for the Duke team.
“It’s very rare that someone who missed so much basketball is able to step on the floor and compete and be impactful at such a high level, considering everything that happened,” his mother said.
The young basketball player’s family, including his mother, father, Patrick Ngongba I, sister, and aunt will be attending the Final Four game to cheer him on.
“It’s surreal for me,” Tajama Ngongba said. “I think it’s just such a great opportunity for him and the entire Duke team, and I’m so happy. I can’t even begin to explain how happy I am for him and that team.”
As the two athletes prepare to hit the court today with their teams, Virgin Islanders have been posting on social media about the face-off between Patrick Ngongba II and J’Wan Roberts.
Usie Richards, a former senator who serves on the central board of the International Basketball Federation, or Federation International de Basketball (FIBA), said today’s match up presents a significant opportunity for the VI community to be able to recognize the accomplishments of athletes with roots in the territory who have had the opportunity to promote their skills to the game of basketball.
“It’s going to be particularly interesting for us as Virgin Islanders to have two persons from the Virgin Islands, one from the district of St Croix, one from the district of St. Thomas and St. John, representing us,” he said.
Richards said it is unfortunate Patrick Ngongba II and J’Wan Roberts will be competing in the semifinal opposed to the finals.
“It places all of us in the position to not only root for them as players from the Virgin Islands but to put us in a position now to have to make a choice on which one we’re going to root for in the semifinals,” he said.
The Duke Blue Devils are looking for their sixth national championship overall and first since 2015. The Houston Cougars are looking for their first national championship victory.
Duke and Houston are scheduled to tip off at 8:49 p.m. Eastern Time today. The game will air on CBS.
