Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) hopes its Under-15 School Boys Select Team’s participation in the Paradise International Basketball Tournament in St. Maarten will help establish regular overseas opportunities for young players.
The October 3–7, 2026 tournament will provide international exposure for an 11-member squad selected from seven schools that participated in this year’s National School Basketball Festival (NSBF). It will also allow YBG to assess the level of junior competition in this part of the Caribbean.
For the organisation, the tour’s value goes beyond the results. YBG wants to build a reliable grassroots development system that connects basketball with personal growth, opportunity and hope for the future.
“Winning is building young men and women who can succeed on and off the court,” YBG stated.
That approach has shaped the team’s preparation over several weeks of intensive training. Alongside their work on the court, the boys have formed bonds across schools and communities, developing the unity YBG hopes will strengthen the group throughout the experience.
The tour has received substantial backing from principal partner G-Boats Guyana, which committed to providing almost half of the budget when the idea of taking a youth team overseas was presented.
The company’s contribution builds on its support for YBG competitions, coach development and player development. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport also made a financial contribution to the team’s participation.
YBG highlighted the efforts of parents and their wider networks, saying several had helped care for and support the entire squad. Mr. and Mrs. Hillaire, Oslyn Richards and James Singh received special recognition for their contributions.
Supporters of a fundraising barbecue, donors and others also helped make the trip possible. The Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force assisted with transportation to the airport, while the Royal Hotel’s management made its facilities available to the team ahead of departure.
Despite that collective effort, uncertainty over travel documents created concern just a day before departure. Five members of the delegation were still awaiting the return of passports and visas following processing by the Netherlands authorities in Paramaribo.
YBG said it remained hopeful while Ambassador Virjanand Depoo and the Guyana Embassy in Suriname worked to resolve the matter. The organisation thanked the Ambassador, Elizabeth Haylings and the Embassy team for their assistance in ensuring the affected boys and coach could travel with the rest of the group.
Head Coach Warren Wilson is overseeing the squad, assisted by Judah Stephney and Calix Bernard. Leona Kyte serves as Team Chaperone and Chris Bowman as Team Manager.
As the schoolboys prepare to represent their schools, YBG and Guyana, the organisation hopes the experience will contribute to both their basketball development and their growth as young people. Establishing similar opportunities for future groups remains a central goal of the tour.
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