Wiggins leads Guyana to dramatic win over Antigua and Barbuda

Guyana secured a dramatic 75-73 overtime win against Antigua and Barbuda on Thursday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, in Group Phase action of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 CBC Pre-Qualifiers.

It was Guyana’s first win of the event following a 55-68 loss to Turks and Caicos Islands on the opening night.

The game was a tightly contested battle from start to finish, with both teams trading double-digit leads before the hosts found the answers in the extra period. Guyana ultimately held their nerve down the stretch to edge out a razor-thin victory in front of their home crowd.

Turning Point

The decisive sequence unfolded in overtime with 2:27s left on the clock. Kevon Wiggins, Guyana’s standout guard, converted a driving layup under the basket in transition after a turnover, tying the score at 73-73 and erasing Antigua and Barbuda’s lead at a critical juncture. That play shifted the momentum, as Guyana outscored Antigua and Barbuda 6-2 in the pivotal stretch, capitalising on turnovers and staying composed from the line.

With 1:03 remaining in overtime and Guyana leading 75-73, Antigua and Barbuda’s Preston Merrick missed a three-pointer that could have swung the lead back in their favour. The hosts then managed the final possessions to seal the win.

Game Heroes

Wiggins led the way for Guyana, finishing with 24 points, three rebounds, three assists, and four steals in 33:27s of action. He shot 8-of-19 from the field, including 5-of-15 from two and a blistering 3-of-4 from deep, while going a perfect 5-of-5 from the line.

Wiggins posted an efficiency rating of 21, and despite a -3 plus/minus, he scored all 6 of Guyana’s points in crunch time, including the game-tying fast break layup in overtime.

Umar Rashid provided a strong supporting performance with 21 points and eight rebounds in 39:30s, adding one steal, one block, and zero turnovers. Rashid shot 8-of-20 from the field and registered an efficiency of 19.

For Antigua and Barbuda, Xavier Spencer delivered a game-high 44:01s on the floor, tallying 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block. Spencer shot 6-of-10 from the field, including a perfect 5-of-5 from two, 1-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-4 from the line, finishing with an efficiency of 15 and a -7 plus/minus.

Guyana’s biggest surge came at the start of the fourth quarter, when they unleashed a 9-0 run to turn a 48-48 tie into a 57-48 advantage. Rashid contributed four points and one rebound during this stretch, while Stanton Rose added three points and two rebounds to fuel the momentum.

Antigua and Barbuda responded with a 0-12 run spanning the end of regulation and the start of overtime, flipping a 69-61 deficit into a 69-73 lead. Jamine Charles played a key role in this burst, chipping in two points, one rebound, and one block.

In the other games on Thursday night, Cayman Islands defeated Grenada 77-68, Barbados got the better of Haiti 91-68 and Turks and Caicos Islands topped Dominica 81-64.

Games on Friday:

• Grenada vs Haiti
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines vs Cayman Islands
• Bermuda vs Turks and Caicos Islands
• Guyana vs Dominica