THE Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) has officially confirmed Guyana’s participation in the highly anticipated 2024 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup tournament, which will take place from December 13 to 15 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The competition serves as the premier 3×3 basketball event in the Americas, drawing top teams from across North, Central, and South America.

Now in its fourth edition, the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup has established itself as a crucial stepping stone towards global championships, including the FIBA 3×3 World Cup and potentially the Olympic Games.

The tournament provides a unique platform for countries to showcase their talent, build their international reputation, and vie for a place among the best in the world.

For Guyana, participation in the championship is not just about competing but also about gaining recognition on the international basketball stage. It is a golden opportunity to elevate the nation’s standing in the rapidly growing sport of 3×3 basketball.

Guyana made its debut in the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup during its inaugural edition in 2021 and continued its participation in 2022, with both tournaments held in Miami.

Unfortunately, financial constraints prevented the team from competing in the 2023 edition in San Juan. Nevertheless, Guyana’s performance in previous tournaments has been commendable, consistently proving themselves as formidable competitors from the Caribbean.

In the 2022 tournament, the Guyanese squad, featuring Delroy James, Gordon James, Shelroy Thomas, and Nikolai Smith, displayed exceptional skill and resilience.

The team went undefeated in the qualifying rounds, only narrowly missing out on advancing to the quarter-finals after intense, closely contested matches against Canada (17-19) and Mexico (15-16).

Guyana finished 11th out of 17 countries, with an impressive record of three wins and two losses, cementing their status as one of the top 3×3 basketball teams in the Caribbean.

GBF President, Michael Singh, expressed his excitement about Guyana’s return to FIBA’s marquee 3×3 tournament, highlighting that the Federation is committed to fielding the strongest possible team to represent the nation, drawing from both local talent and players in the diaspora.

“The GBF is thrilled to be back in the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup,” Singh stated. “Our focus now is on selecting the best players to compete. In our last outing, we had a great mix with two locally-based players and two from overseas, and they made us proud. This time, with the experience gained, we are confident of going further in the tournament.”

However, Singh acknowledged that corporate support will be essential to their preparations.

The GBF plans to hold a one-week training camp to bring the team together and ensure they are well-prepared.

Selecting the final team will be challenging, given the depth of talent available, but Singh is confident that the best athletes will be chosen to represent the country.

3×3 basketball is one of the fastest-growing urban sports worldwide, officially recognised as an Olympic sport during the Tokyo 2020 Games.