Impressive Guyana narrowly misses out on quarter-finals at FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup

Impressive Guyana narrowly misses out on quarter-finals at FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup

Nov 06, 2022 Sports

By Rawle Toney in Miami (Compliments of MVP Sports and Shi Oil)

Kaieteur News – It was an impressive performance from Guyana’s men’s team at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in Miami, Florida but in the end, the team of Delroy and Gordon James, along with Nikkoloi Smith and Shelroy Thomas, fell short of advancing to the quarter-finals.

Nikkoloi Smith is about to score after a beautiful spin move against Ecuador at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup in Miami.

Guyana, being made to compete in the tournament’s qualification round, faced Aruba on opening day, winning 20-14.
With former AEK Athens big man, Delroy James not playing on day one, the team felt his presence when they needed overtime to put away Ecuador 13-12.
After a series of exchanges, the two teams would play to a tied score (11-11) at the end of regulation, sending the game into overtime, where the first team to score two points would win.
After several attempts and falling behind 11-12, it came down to Delroy James who hit one off the glass from behind the arc to hand Guyana their second win of the tournament and to remain unbeaten.
Up next, Guyana came up against Haiti, also a must-win game. An all-round team performance, with each player having their moment of brilliance,

Shelroy Thomas scores a two-pointer against Haiti. He was fouled and would score the free throw in Guyana’s 19-17 win.

Guyana edged Haiti 19-17 to move into the Main Draw.
They were placed against Mexico and Canada, with the Spanish-speaking North American country being their first match.
Mexico was earlier annihilated by Canada 2-22 and went into the game against Guyana needing a win to move into the quarter-finals.
Nonetheless, the Guyanese men seemed poised to defeat the Mexicans even though it was a seesaw affair.
Falling behind, Nikkoloi Smith brought the crowd to their feet with a beautiful spin move and was fouled on his attempt. However, Smith, who recently represented Guyana at the Islamic Games in Turkey, made the basket and got an ‘and one’.
Smith would make both free throws, putting Guyana up 14-13. But a turnover cost Guyana a chance of closing out, as Mexico would score just before the end of regulation, sending the game to overtime.
With the first team to score two points winning the game and Mexico in the penalty, Delroy James was fouled in the first play of overtime, being sent to take two free throws and a chance to give Guyana the win.
But James missed the first and converted the second, and Guyana took the lead 15-14. Mexico got off a lucky shot from the two-point range, just as the shot clock was about to expire to win 15-16.
Coming out against Canada in their second match in the Main Draw, Guyana didn’t seem dejected and were very flat-footed in their approach to the game.
In the end, the Canadians won 21-9 and ended Guyana’s participation in this year’s tournament.