Amayoa’ah Phillips ( via UVI Athletics )
Courtesy of Shaquille Richardson, Sports Information Director, UVI Athletics
University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) men’s basketball student-athlete Amayoa’ah Phillips was honored with his second Historically Black College and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Newcomer of the Week award for the Week of January 6-12, 2025. Phillips had previously received this recognition for his outstanding performance during the week of December 16-22, 2024.
This award is specifically designated for transfer students who are new to the conference, and Phillips was selected as the recipient by the conference voting committee on Monday morning. The statistics considered for this award are based on the players’ performance in the previous week of competition.
Phillips, along with Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) forward Jamal Gibson, who was honored as Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, and Donte Briggs, also of SUNO, who was recognized as Freshman of the Week, were among the student-athletes who received conference accolades for the week of December 16-22.
In two games last week, Phillips averaged a whopping 29.5 points per game while shooting 70.8% from the field and 45% from three-point range. Additionally, the junior guard displayed his proficiency at the free-throw line by making 22 out of 24 attempts, resulting in an impressive 94.1% success rate.
On January 6, Phillips delivered his best performance of the year during the Buccaneers’ game against Talladega College. The St. Thomas, Virgins Islands native scored a season-high 33 points, including 20 second-half points. His sensational second half was fueled by a flurry of baskets, as he single-handedly scored 16 of his team’s first 23 points after the break.
As the reigning newcomer of the week, Phillips has established himself as one of the top scorers in the HBCUAC. He currently ranks as the second-leading scorer in the conference, averaging an impressive 21.1 points per game.
