Shenneika Smith, captain of Jamaica’s national senior women’s basketball team, applauds her team’s Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) championship win as a testament to their dexterity.

The Jamaicans, despite inadequate preparation, managed to defeat Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & the Grenadines and Guyana to top Group B, before going on to overhaul the US Virgin Islands and Dominican Republic in the semi-final and final, respectively.

“It is a great feeling, this is what we went out there to do and it’s good that we were able to take care of business. It wasn’t easy though; we stuck together… we were down in a couple of games, but we found a way together and pulled it off and I am just glad that we were able to bring Jamaica something,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer shortly after the team’s arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport on Sunday.

She added: “This is a testament to Jamaica of what we could do with a week of preparation. We went over there and took care of business, just having seven days to put in a whole system, just imagine what we will be able to do if we had more time and help.”

Smith, who plays the power forward and centre positions along with guard Sasha Dixon scored 14 points in the final to lead the scoring for the Jamaicans, but despite their win, the 24-year-old Smith still thinks there is more to be done as the team gets ready for the Centrobasket Championship scheduled for July 22-26 in Mexico.

“Now we are going to try to go over some things, fix some things, tweak some things and get ready for Mexico and go out there and win. Control what we can control, limit our mistakes and turnovers and go out there and win, that is all we are going to try to do is win,” Smith said.

Forward player, Jennifer George, who was the team’s anchor in most of the games, came up big once more in the final. She finished with 13 rebounds and 13 points, including a decisive clutch basket shot that handed them the championship.

George told the Jamaica Observer that she is excited to be a part of history as it was the first time that Jamaica ended a championship unbeaten.

“I found out that this was the first time that Jamaica has gone undefeated and won a whole championship, so I am really happy to be a part of the team. I just went out there and did whatever the team required of me, I think rebounding was a big part of that and so I just went out every night and tried to crash the boards and be unstoppable in the paint,” she said.