FIBA AmeriCup Pre-Qualifiers: Guyana snatch thrilling win over Bermuda

In a heart-stopping Group Phase encounter of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 CBC Pre-Qualifiers, Guyana pulled off a thrilling 59-56 victory over Bermuda at a raucous Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Sunday.

In front of a partisan home crowd, the Guyanese men proved that timing is everything, snatching the win at the death despite trailing for nearly the entire contest.

Bermuda dictated the tempo and controlled the scoreboard for an astonishing 34 minutes and 58 seconds of the 40-minute encounter.

However, Guyana’s grit shone through in the final period as they executed flawlessly down the stretch, delivering crucial defensive stops and timely baskets to stun the visitors.

The contest was a cagey, defensive battle from the opening tip, with neither side able to break away. Bermuda’s largest advantage was a mere four points late in the first quarter, while Guyana’s biggest lead of the night was just two.

The game’s true turning point came with Guyana trailing 7-6 late in the opening period. Guard Umar Rashid floated in a jumper with 3:09 on the clock to nudge Guyana ahead 8-7.

Remarkably, that basket marked the final lead change of the night.

While Bermuda relentlessly pressured and threw everything at the hosts—even threatening to retake the lead with under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter before a critical Cameron Basden bad-pass turnover derailed their momentum—Guyana simply refused to yield.

Rashid was the undisputed star of the night, putting on a masterclass in efficiency.

He logged over 35 minutes of action without committing a single turnover, scorching the nets for a game-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including three clutch triples.

He received crucial support from forward Kevin Mickle, who netted 15 points and finished with a team-best +6 plus/minus rating.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Smith did the dirty work in the trenches, anchoring Guyana’s defence with a team-high nine rebounds to go along with his 7 points.

Bermuda was left wondering what might have been after putting together a deeply competitive performance.

They were paced by a monstrous double-double from Malachi Scott, who dominated the paint with 16 points and 12 rebounds on an efficient 7-of-10 from inside the arc, registering a game-high efficiency rating of 21.

Ultimately, Guyana spent just two minutes and 58 seconds in front, but they led when the final buzzer sounded.

With the gritty victory, the locals take a massive step forward in the group phase, while a heartbroken Bermuda squad must regroup and bounce back in their next outing. (FIBA)