Joy Adams urges greater investment in local women’s basketball

Nov 20, 2025 Sports

…GBF president sees importance in development initiatives

By Rawle Toney

Guyana’s women’s national team that competed at the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship.

Kaieteur Sports – Fresh off a second-place finish at the FIBA Women’s Caribbean Championship, Guyana’s captain Joy Adams is calling on the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) to deepen its investment in locally-based players as the national team prepares for next year’s FIBA Women’s CentroBasket.

Breann Ritchie (left) and Junelly Paddy during Guyana’s clash with the Bahamas at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Guyana’s runner-up finish marks the country’s best performance at the tournament since lifting the title in 1996 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The achievement also helped in Guyana’s return to the CentroBasket stage, one of the most competitive tournaments in the region.

Despite the success, Adams believes there is significant work ahead if Guyana is to build on its momentum.

“We have to keep the basketball programme alive right now, developing the local girls, because we need them to be able to compete at the highest level,” Adams said.

A standout during her collegiate career at Iona University, Adams led from the front throughout the championship, but believes that the future must include more opportunities and development for homegrown talent.

Of the team’s 12-player roster guided by head coach Kenny Avent, six were based in Guyana. However, the gap in experience and exposure was evident, with the local contingent seeing limited court time due to the intensity and quality of competition at the regional level.

Only two locally-based players, Rehaicia Romain (3 points) and Keisha Copperfield (1 point), contributed to Guyana’s 345 total points across four games.

To Adams, this signals the need for a long-term plan. She stressed that the GBF must “continue to work with them [locally-based players], develop them, so that when they get on that stage, they will be able to compete with anyone.”

Her remarks align with broader concerns echoed within the local basketball community about strengthening the women’s programme, ensuring sustainability, and reducing the heavy reliance on overseas-based athletes for international competitions.

GBF President Michael Singh acknowledged Adams’ sentiments and outlined the Federation’s commitment to building a stronger domestic pipeline.

He pointed out that failing to capitalize on the momentum created by the women’s national team would be a disservice to the sport.

Singh noted that the GBF will be rolling out several initiatives specifically tailored to the growth of women’s basketball. These include a national club championship designed to increase competition levels and create more meaningful opportunities for local players to showcase and sharpen their talent.

“It would be an indictment on the GBF, following the success of the women’s national team, to not continue the momentum and create a pathway that gives locally-based players a chance not only to be selected, but to compete with the best in the region,” Singh stated.

He added that the Federation will also work closely with coaches across the country to identify a pool of players who will undergo continuous training as Guyana gears up for the 2026 FIBA Women’s CentroBasket.

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Caribbean Championship, CentroBasket stage, club championship, Guyana basketball

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