D-Up Basketball Academy ready to make regional impact in St Lucia

Aug 18, 2026 Sports

Kaieteur Sports – Head Coach Anthony Kandar is confident the D-Up Basketball Academy has the firepower to make a strong impression when the Guyanese outfit makes its regional debut at the 2026 Invitational Aloysius Daniel Basketball Youth Classic in St Lucia.

The Region Three-based academy departed Guyana on Saturday, brimming with confidence ahead of the fifth staging of the tournament, which tipped off yesterday at the Beausejour Indoor Stadium.

D-Up Basketball Academy ready to make regional impact in St Lucia

D-Up Basketball Academy departs local shores on Saturday with coach Kandar aiming for favourable results as Aloysius Daniel Basketball Youth Classic get underway on Monday in St Lucia.

D-Up is among teams from across the Caribbean and beyond assembled for the August 17-21 youth showcase. The Guyanese debutants opened their campaign against the ECA Lions of the United States yesterday and will face Trinidad and Tobago’s NCA Warriors today.

Kandar believes his charges are ready to translate their preparation into results after spending just over a month together.

“I think my guys have what it takes to do well at this tournament. Our team is composed of a few talented players, with the majority hailing from schools outside of the academy, which makes us a well-rounded unit,” Kandar said.

“We have been together as a team for just over a month now, and the guys were able to gel nicely. Now it is time to show what we have been training for.”

The coach said the team has embraced the challenge despite being drawn among several league champions, with D-Up expected to face a stern test from experienced regional opponents.

“The guys are in championship mood. Not taking anything away from the other teams, we are nestled among a few league champions, so every matchup is expected to be a challenge,” he added.

Kandar will look to seasoned campaigners such as captain Aliandro Wickham, Marvin Marks, Kemol Pickering and Brentnol Archer to provide leadership, while Namit Persaud, who joins the squad from the United States, is also expected to play a key role.

Among the other players expected to attract attention are Sam Persaud, Desson Benjamin, Ethan Blair, John Nazier and Taishen Chung.

The Aloysius Daniel Basketball Youth Classic has grown into a prominent youth tournament since its inception, attracting teams from the United States and England, along with several Caribbean territories. Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica are among the countries that have participated, with Guyana now joining the regional lineup for the first time.

The annual tournament is coordinated by St Lucia’s East Coast Academy and sanctioned by the St Lucia Basketball Federation.

For D-Up, however, the mission is clear: make its debut count and put Guyana’s Region Three basketball talent firmly on the regional map.

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