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Guyana men’s team now in FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup qualification round
– Men, women team rocked by players’ unavailability
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – With the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup organisers accepting Brazil’s late submission, General Secretary of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF), Patrick Haynes, told Kaieteur News that the move places Guyana’s Men’s team in the qualifier round of the tournament which is set for November 4 – 6 in Miami, Florida.
Guyana’s Delroy James (right) in action during the TBT Tournament at Rucker Park.
The tournament has shifted from Bayfront Park to the AT&T East Plaza in the FTX Arena – home of the Miami Heat.
Originally, the country’s men’s team were set to play defending Champions USA and Guatemala in Group A of the main draw. However, with Brazil now entering the tournament, it means that the Guyanese men will have to play in the qualifier tournament against Haiti, Ecuador and Aruba.
They will need to finish on top for a chance to face Canada and Mexico in Group C of the Main Draw.
Nonetheless, Haynes said the change will only affect the male team, with the women’s side remaining in Group A to face inaugural Champions, the USA and Colombia.
Meanwhile, there will be some changes to the roster initially announced by the GABF.
In the men’s line-up, Guyana will be without guards Stanton Rose Jr and Deylon Bovell.
Rose, the 2018 Caribbean Champion, will miss the tournament because of visa woes, while, according to Haynes, Bovell, the former Berkeley College stand-out point guard was deemed eligible by FIBA for competitions in 2022, taking into consideration when he received his Guyanese passport.
Guyana’s men’s team will now come from the James brothers (Delroy and Gordon), along with Plaisance Guardians guard Nikolai Smith and Colt’s backcourt marshal, Shelroy Thomas.
“It’s a pretty balanced team. I think we have a very good chance of coming out of the qualifiers,” Haynes said.
He said with Delroy James coming off an exceptional performance at The Basketball Tournament (TBT) where he suited up for Americana for Autism, reaching the finals but were beaten by Blue Collar U.
“James’ (Delroy) level will be noticed because he has that outdoor experience of playing at places like Rucker Park and he’s a professional as well. So that’s an added improvement from last year,” Haynes highlighted.
Shelroy Thomas was named MVP at the last 3×3 tournament played in Guyana.
NO BROWN, MCKENZIE FOR GUYANA
As it relates to the women’s team, the country has suffered a major blow after two of its premier players, Joy Brown and Mariam McKenzie, will not be able to feature in Miami because of contractual arrangements with their professional clubs.
“Brown will not be available until November 19. McKenzie’s team in Spain will not release her for the time of the tournament. This is of course a big blow to the team because they’re both quality players,” Haynes told Kaieteur News in an exclusive interview.
At the inaugural tournament last year, Brown, along with Kesann Charles and Jada Mohan, made up Guyana’s female team.
Brown did the bulk of the lifting for the women and became an instant favourite for fans at the tournament.
She propelled Guyana to the top of Group C in the qualification round, which saw them moving on to face Chile and Mexico in the Main Draw.
Brown scored 31 points in the qualifying round, including 18 in one game. She scored another 20 points in the pool stage for a Guyana team that did not make it to the bracket.
Tamara Hunter, Kenesha Leacock and Charles are confirmed for the tournament, while Mohan is listed as “to be confirmed” by the GABF.
With regards to sponsorship, Haynes said a commitment was made by KFC and the GTT to once again be on board.
At the 2021 FIBA AmeriCup, Guyana’s female team came from Brown, Mohan and Charles, while Ryan Stephney, Tyron Hamid, Travis Burnett, and Timothy Thompson made-up the men’s team.
The men and women representing the ‘592’ at the first-of-its-kind event turned in some impressive performances, but when the dust settled at Bayfront Park, it was the women who found more success.
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