PARAMARIBO, Suriname – Guyana was defeated by hosts Suriname 86-73 on Sunday to finish in second place at the Nations Cup for the second successive year.
Guyana’s Nikkoli Smith is guarded by three Suriname defenders as he drives to the basketTravis Belgrave led Guyana with 14 points, working tirelessly on both ends of the floor, while Akil Hughes added 13 and Shelroy Thomas 12 in a balanced offensive effort.
It was also the second time in as many years that Suriname emerged as champions.
Guyana opened the tournament in strong fashion on Saturday, defeating French Guiana 65–51 in confident display.
That victory set up a highly anticipated rematch with Suriname for the title, after the hosts had also secured a win over French Guiana earlier in the competition.
However, despite moments of promise and spirited stretches of play, Suriname maintained control for much of the contest, using their depth and home-court energy to keep Guyana at bay.
While the result was not the one they hoped for, the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) said the tournament was an important step in the team’s development.
GBF officials see the Nations Cup as the beginning of preparations for this year’s men’s Caribbean Championship, where Guyana aims to be more competitive on the regional stage.
The GBF has indicated that an announcement will soon be made regarding the team’s next regional engagement as preparations continue.
