COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, 
VETERANS AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION 
11/14/2023-SPECIAL ORDEREDTO THE FLOOR 
 
BILL NO. 
35-0091 
 
Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands 
 
 
 
May 31, 2023 
 
 
 
A Resolution honoring and commending Aliyah Boston for her many accomplishments in 
girl’s and women’s basketball, her contribution as an ambassador for the Territory, and her 
contribution to women’s sports worldwide, and awarding her the Key to the Territory 
 
 
 
PROPOSED BY: 
 
Senators Marvin A. Blyden, Angel L. Bolques, Jr., 
Carla J. Joseph, Dwayne M. DeGraff, Javan E. James, Sr.,  
Alma Francis Heyliger and, Ray Fonseca 
Co-Sponsors: Marise C. James, Franklin D. Johnson, 
Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Novelle E. Francis, Jr. and  
Milton E. Potter 
WHEREAS, Aliyah Boston was born on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, on December 11, 
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2001, to Cleone and Algernon Boston; and 
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WHEREAS, from the earliest years, Aliyah was taught by her parents that all things 
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are possible through faith, commitment, and hard work; and 
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WHEREAS, at an early age, Aliyah developed a love for basketball as she watched her 
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older sister Alexis compete; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah soon displayed prodigious talent, becoming one of the only girls 
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to play in the boys’ basketball teams and leagues; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah’s first basketball coach, Russell Brewley, identified Aliyah, as 
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early as the seventh grade, as a future women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association 
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(NCAA) basketball Division I prospect; and 
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2 
 
WHEREAS, in 2014, to experience a wider competitive environment and for training 
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and coaching opportunities, after a carefully considered family decision, Aliyah and her sister 
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Alexis relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah’s parents decided that Aliyah and Alexis should remain in 
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Worcester; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah played four varsity basketball seasons at Worcester Academy 
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where she led the Hilltoppers to consecutive New England Prep School Athletic Council 
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Class AA Championships in 2018 and 2019, and she is Worcester Academy's all-time leading 
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female scorer; and 
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WHEREAS, during Aliyah’s high school tenure, her accomplishments and individual 
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awards included the following: 
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➢ Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year—2017, 2018, and 2019;   
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➢ Naismith All-American Second Team—2019; 
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➢ Member of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Second Team—
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2019; 
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➢ McDonald All-American—2019, with nine points and 10 rebounds for the 
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winning East team;  
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➢ SLAM All-American—2019; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah Boston chose to attend the University of South Carolina, where 
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she made an immediate impact on the already successful basketball program; and 
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WHEREAS, as a sophomore, Aliyah Boston led the Gamecocks to a Finals appearance 
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in the 2021 NCAA women’s basketball championship; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah demonstrated her resilience and determination by embarking upon 
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additional physical and mental training, including working with Virgin Islander and Hall-of-
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Fame National Basketball Association player, Timothy Duncan, to improve her performance 
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and competitive results; and 
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3 
 
WHEREAS, Aliyah Boston led the South Carolina Gamecocks to the 2022 NCAA 
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Women’s Basketball Championship, where she won the Player of the Tournament Award, the 
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Most Valuable Player Award; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah, is one of the most decorated NCAA women’s basketball players 
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in the NCAA’s history, whose awards and commendations include: 
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➢ 
Four-time Lisa Leslie Award—2020-2023 
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➢ 
Three-time Associated Press First-team All-American—2021-2023 
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➢ 
Three-time United States Basketball Writers Association First-team All-
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American—2021-2023 
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➢ 
Two-Time Women’s Basketball Coaches Association First-team All-
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American—2021, 2022 
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➢ 
Associated Press Second-team All-American—2020 
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➢ 
United States Basketball Writers Association Second-team All-American—
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2020  
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➢ 
United States Basketball Writers Association National Freshman of the 
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Year—2020 
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➢ 
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Freshman of the Year—2020  
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➢ 
Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year—2020  
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➢ 
Southeastern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player—2021 
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➢ 
Four-time Southeastern Conference First Team—2020, 2021, 2022, and 
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2023 
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➢ 
Four-time Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year—2020, 
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2021, 2022, and 2023 
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➢ 
Four-time Southeastern Conference All-Defensive Team—2020, 2021, 
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2022, and 2023 
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4 
 
➢ 
Two-time Academic All-American of the Year, Division-I women’s 
1 
basketball—2021 and 2022 
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➢ 
Two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year—2022 and 2023 
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➢ 
Naismith College Player of the Year—2022 
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➢ 
Two-time Naismith Defensive Player of the Year—2022 and 2023 
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➢ 
Awarded the NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player—2022 
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➢ 
Awarded the John R. Wooden Award—2022 
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➢ 
Awarded National Player of the Year in 2022 by the Associated Press, the 
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United States Basketball Writers Association, and the Women’s Basketball 
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Coaches Association; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah has received the following commendations and awards in 
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international competition: 
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➢ 
2017- International Basketball Association (FIBA) Under-16 Women’s 
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Americas Championship Most Valuable Player  
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➢ 
2018 FIBA Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup All-Tournament 
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Team; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah followed up her spectacular 2022 season by leading the South 
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Carolina Gamecocks to its first ever undefeated regular season, another Southeastern 
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Conference title, 37 straight weeks as the Number 1-ranked women’s collegiate basketball 
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team in the nation, and its third straight Final Four appearance; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah was one of only two women unanimously selected as All-
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American First Team in the 2022-2023 season; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah Boston, over the course of her four seasons of collegiate 
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basketball, led the South Carolina Gamecocks to a cumulative record of 129-9, making it the 
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5 
 
greatest four-year year run in Gamecocks history and one of the five best four-year runs in 
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the history of NCAA women’s basketball; and 
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WHEREAS, Aliyah’s success in landing Name, Image, and Likeness endorsements 
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and contracts helped to lead the way to a new era of financial success for female collegiate 
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athletes; and  
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WHEREAS, Aliyah was selected first in the 2023 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever, 
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becoming only the second Virgin Islander, after Tim Duncan, to be drafted as the Number 1 
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pick in any professional sports draft; Now, Therefore  
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Be it resolved by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 
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SECTION 1.  The Legislature of the Virgin Islands, on behalf of the people of the 
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Virgin Island, honors and commends Aliya Boston for her accomplishments in girls’ and 
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women’s basketball, her contribution as an ambassador for the Territory. 
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SECTION 2. The Legislature of the Virgin Islands, on behalf of the people of the 
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Virgin Islands, honors and commends Aliyah Boston for her accomplishments in girls and 
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women’s basketball, her contribution as an ambassador for the Territory and her contribution 
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to women’s sports worldwide by presenting her with a Key to the Territory. 
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SECTION 3. The President of the Legislature or the President’s designee shall present 
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to Aliyah Boston a perma plaque of this Resolution and the official Key to the Territory at an 
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appropriate ceremony.  
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BILL SUMMARY 
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This bill honors and commends Aliyah Boston for her accomplishments in girls’ and 
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women’s basketball and provides for the presentation to her the Key to the Territory and a 
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perma plaque copy of this Resolution at an appropriate ceremony. 
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BR23-0450/April 14, 2023/SLR 
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