– Visitors lose game four 71 – 69

AFTER blowing out the visitors in their three previous meetings, the Guyana men’s national basketball team won their fourth and final game against Antigua and Barbuda in a two-point thriller (71 – 69) on Wednesday, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

It was the Antiguans first Goodwill tour and third visit to Guyana. Their two previous visits were for participation in the then CARICOM Championships in 1981 and 1988, which is known today as the Caribbean Basketball Confederation (CBC) Championship.

In their three games played prior to Wednesday, Guyana scored a total of 232 points and averaged 77.3 points per game, while restricting the Antiguans to a derisory 155 points in total at an average of 51.6 points per game.

But losing all their matches by an averaged 25.6 points per game, the Antiguan snapped out of vacation mode to play their best basketball of the tour.

Marlon Charles, who ended the night with a game high 19 points, carried his team’s scoring, mostly in the second half.

Charles was scoreless in the first quarter as Guyana’s backcourt once again being effective on both ends of the floor with Amaniki Archibald scoring seven of his team-high 11 points to give the Guyanese a one point (13 – 12) advantage.

Keon Cameron opened the second quarter with a basket from beyond the arch, by Antigua-scored back-to-back baskets; Charles had a lay-in and Marcel Edwards’ triple kept the visitors in the game.

However, Head Coach Darcel Harris showed off why he’s regarded as one of Guyana’s best when he made several clinical changes that saw his troops closing the half outscoring the Antiguans 19 – 15 to lead 32 – 27.

In the penultimate period, Antigua scored nine unanswered points, all of which came from Charles but Guyana would counter with baskets from Centre Shane Webster (10), Cameron (9), Archibald and Captain Akeem Kanhai (10).

However, the third quarter turned out to be the Antiguans best; outscoring Guyana 22 – 18 but still trailed by one point (50 – 49) entering the fourth quarter.

Michael Turner scored four unanswered points for Guyana but Edwards, Charles and Adisa Harris carried the Antiguans run in the fourth quarter.

Once again, the Guyanese Head Coach turned to his back court to do the damage on the much slower Antigua and Barbuda team.

In the end, Guyana would hold on for the win and take the four game Goodwill Series in dramatic fashion, much to the delight of the small and appreciative fans who turned up at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.