All your favorite teams and sources in one place

Build your feed

Your Teams.
All Sources.

Build your feed

© 2024 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC.

No results found.
Aliyah Boston’s journey through basketball
Aliyah Boston is averaging 13.7 points and 11.5 rebounds in the Gamecocks’ 14-1 start. (Photo: South Carolina Athletics)

Aliyah Boston’s journey through basketball

WORCESTER, Mass. (BVM) — For Aliyah Boston, basketball has always been a driving force in her life. Growing up, Boston would have to work harder than her competition, playing against mostly boys in co-ed competition in her hometown of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 

“Those guys were really strong and they never took it easy on me,” Boston said. “It was like them trying to beat up on me was proving a point that they were really good. I think that definitely helped with some of my toughness now.”

Boston’s journey on the hardwood may have started in St. Thomas, but it carried her to many different locations throughout her life. At the age of 12, Aliyah, along with her sister, Alexis, decided to make the move to the States as they looked for a chance to continue their basketball careers. The move would separate the sisters from their family on the island as they made the nearly 1,700mile trip to Worcester, Mass., to live with their aunt.

“Originally, we were just going up to Massachusetts to find an AAU team just to travel with in the summer,” Aliyah said, “but then the AAU team that we found, practiced at a high school near my aunt’s house and my mom got the idea that, ‘what if they move up there?’ It was never really a hard decision for me, as hard as it must have been for my parents.”

After starting at Holy Name, Aliyah would transfer to Worcester Academy for her freshman year where she would go on to have one of the most successful high school basketball careers in Massachusetts. In her junior season, Aliyah averaged 21.2 points, 14 rebounds, 6.2 blocks and would go on to earn the Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year award three different times throughout her high school career.

(Photo: South Carolina Athletics)

Her basketball achievements wouldn’t stop there as the four-time USA gold medalist was selected for both the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. After receiving offers from the likes of UConn, Ohio State and Notre Dame, she decided to commit to the University of South Carolina.   

“I really felt a great connection to the coaching staff and I think that played the most important role,” Aliyah said of her decision. “I really felt like I could go to them for anything and not just basketball related. I also liked the players when I came on my visit. They were really easy to talk to, get to know, and I just felt like this is really where I would be able to expand my game.”

In her first season at South Carolina, the 6-foot-4 freshman picked up right where she left off, averaging a near double-double for the Gamecocks. After a shortened season would end her team’s national title hopes, Aliyah would have to deal with individual awards instead, winning Freshman of the Year (ESPN, USBWA, WBCA) and Lisa Leslie Center of the Year.

Even though she may live across the country, Aliyah has always made it a priority to get back to where she came from. In her freshman season, the Virgin Island native was able to participate in the Paradise Jam (an NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournament held each year in St. Thomas). The opportunity to return home was special for Aliyah, who says she usually gets the chance to come back during a twoweek window in the summer. Throughout the basketball season, her parents try to travel to at least a couple of the Gamecocks’ games.

The opportunity to inspire the younger generation on the island is something that Aliyah looks forward to. When she looks back on her journey, one life lesson has always remained solid.

“I always knew that things weren’t just going to be easy, but I’ve been tested,” Aliyah said when asked about the lessons she’s learned during her basketball journey. “I would say having strong mental health,  just being able to push through some of the hard things that are happening and having a strong base with my family and my religion, I think has played an important part.”

As Aliyah’s sophomore year is off and running, the second year forward has the Gamecocks off to a 14-1 start as they look to take advantage of another chance at a national title.

“My individual goal this year is just to get better,” Aliyah said. “Just really expand my game on a more consistent basis. Obviously, the team goal is just to continue to win and continue to grow each step we take.”