GUYANA’S youth basketball  top player Akeem Kanhai emerged as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in this year’s Inter-Guiana Games basketball competition, but glory belonged to the defending champions Suriname.
The visitors fought off an energised local side in the first half and rallied from 12 points down (25-13) in the latter stages of the second quarter to lead by as much as 12 points (64-52) in the middle of the fourth, before a tense 74-70 victory.
It  was their second consecutive won.

HIGH TEMPO
Suriname had the height on the court, but in the opening quarter and until the last minute or so of the first half the Guyanese youngsters were crashing the boards and dominating the visiting power players.
Kanhai was the orchestrator of the assault. His quick legs were instrumental in not only traps, but also rebounds and drivers through the lane.
In all fairness it was the Kanhai show early on and the Suriname players had no answers, they attempted to match tempo with the locals, but it resulted in forced shots which were not connecting.  
Kanhai soon switched positions and focused on play-making for his teammates, he had Cowen Giddings in the paint and Richard Mohandatt looking to take his marker off the dribble.
With the swing-player Kanhai lingering on the three-point line it opened up the floor and this resulted in a barrage of three pointers (from a number of players) which carried Guyana to their biggest lead of the game (25-13).

TURNAROUND
In the last minute of the first half the Guyanese were out hustled as six quick points were scored to cut the lead 29-25.
Guyana never recovered and despite a commendable performance from Mohandatt, who guarded the ball well in the latter stages of the game, the visitors were able to gain composure.
Suriname’s point guard Jean-Claude Smith was a key player in the last 15 minutes; he drove the court well and instigated full-court traps. Teammates Leandro Dongo and Earvin Randamie then dominated the paint, not only in points, but also in rebounds which resulted in second opportunity shots.
Five missed free-throws in the last minute was a window of opportunity for the locals, but with Kanhai and Mohandatt fouled out there were no playmakers and a combination of a lack of nerves and tiredness resulted in the loss.
Kanhai scored 17 points, while he made four steals and collected 12 boards; Mohandatt finished with 19 points and three steals while Suriname’s Smith had 21 points and six steals. Dongo (who played off the bench) had 14 points and eight boards (most in the fourth quarter), while another visiting player Floyd Anches also finished with 14 points.