Guyana made a losing start on home soil in the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 CBC Pre-Qualifiers, going down 68-55 to Turks and Caicos in their opening Group A match last night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown.
The hosts started well and led after the opening quarter in front of a decent-sized crowd, but Turks and Caicos took control during the middle periods and built a double-digit lead that Guyana could not erase.
The momentum shifted early in the second quarter when Ethan Taylor converted a layup to tie the game at 12-12. Guyana had led 12-10, but that basket erased the advantage and helped Turks and Caicos settle into the contest.
From 1:28 left in the first quarter to 7:46 remaining in the second, Turks and Caicos outscored Guyana 6-2. During that period, Guyana failed to make a field goal, missing all five attempts as the visitors began to dictate the pace.
Turks and Caicos then produced the biggest run of the game, scoring 10 unanswered points from late in the second quarter into the early stages of the third. That burst stretched their lead from 26-23 to 36-23 and placed Guyana under pressure.
Guyana responded with their best spell in the third quarter, scoring six straight points in just over a minute to cut the deficit from 36-23 to 36-29. Umar Rashid contributed three points during that run, but the hosts were unable to sustain the comeback.
Taylor led Turks and Caicos with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Dylan Morris added nine points, nine rebounds and three assists in a strong all-round performance.
For Guyana, Kevin Mickle led the way with 24 points, eight rebounds, two assists and three steals. Kevon Wiggins added nine points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals, while Kimol Grimmond finished with six points.
In the other matches played earlier in the day, Barbados defeated the Cayman Islands 89-54, St Vincent and the Grenadines beat Grenada 85-66, and Antigua and Barbuda secured an 82-50 win over Bermuda.
The tournament continues daily until Sunday, July 12. Group A includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Dominica, Guyana, and Turks and Caicos, while Group B features Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Grenada, Haiti, and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Teams will face every opponent in their group once in a round-robin format, with only the top team from each group advancing to the next round of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 qualifiers.
Guyana’s next assignment will be Antigua and Barbuda at 8 pm on Thursday night.
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