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Guyana out of women’s tournament at FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup
By Rawle Toney in Miami (Compliments of: MVP Sports and Shi Oil)
Kaieteur News – Guyana’s women’s side have ended their participation at this year’s FIBA AmeriCup 3×3 tournament after losing to the USA and Colombia on opening day.
Guyana’s Kennesha Leacock shoots over the USA’s NaLyssa Smith, who plays in the WNBA with the Indiana Fever.
The three-day tournament, featuring the best 3×3 teams in the Americas, saw the Guyanese ladies playing in the Main Draw this year, unlike the country’s men’s side which is playing in the qualification round.
Kesann Charles, the only player returning from last year’s team, was joined by Tamara Hunter and Kennesha Leacock at the tournament.
In their opening game, Guyana went down 3-21 to Colombia. Leacock, though being the shortest on the court, was fearless in her game which saw her being the only player to register on the scoresheets.
Meanwhile, playing in the final game of Day One at the FTX Arena, Guyana faced the tournament’s defending champions, the USA.
It was considered the first meeting between Guyana and the USA at a senior level on the international stage in basketball.
Guyana played a solid USA team made up of players from the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
NaLyssa Smith (Indiana Fever), the WNBA’s second-overall pick, along with sixth overall pick Lexie Hull (Indiana Fever) and seventh overall pick Veronica Burton (Dallas Wings) are part of team USA’s roster, once again making them favourites to win it all.
Kesann Charles in action against Colombia at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tournament (Rawle Toney photos).
Nonetheless, Leacock, who hails from Berbice River community of Kwakwani in Region 10, stepped up to the challenge and even had a block on Thomas at the start of the game.
Leacock pulled up for a two-pointer with Hull on the defence. But, the USA, fashioned with more skilled and quality players than Guyana, easily pulled away to secure their first win of the tournament.
Guyana entered the tournament short-handed, with the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation (GABF) facing several obstacles while dealing with the unavailability of players.
Joy Brown, who was touted as the best player, overall, at last year’s tournament, was ruled out of this year’s competition because of professional responsibility; same with Spain-based Mariam McKenzie.
The GABF also had one of their players being denied a US Visa, but president Michael Singh had told Kaieteur News that they remain “Committed to our female programme, we intend to continue to push our girls not just to participate, but to improve at every major engagement such as AmeriCup.”
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