GBF selects squads for Inter-Guiana Games basketball challenge

The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) has named its boys’ and girls’ squads for the 2026 Inter-Guiana Games basketball competition, which will be held from October 23–25 at the Anthony Nesty Sports Hall in Suriname.
Featuring returning players and newcomers, the Guyanese teams will compete against hosts Suriname and French Guiana in the tournament for student-athletes aged 18 and under.

Guyana’s girls will begin their campaign against French Guiana on Friday at 14:30h, with the boys facing the same opponents in the second game of the double-header. Both teams will then meet Suriname on Saturday, with play beginning at 15:30h.
The girls’ squad comprises Sherese Leacock, Malia Samuels, Brianna Benjamin, Lanasha Mohamed, Breann Ritchie, Kassidy Woolford, Junelly Paddy, Krizel Wells, Ronaya Grant, Ricielle Fowler, Kennesha Fraser, and Ciara Persaud.
Selected for the boys’ team are Mattaniah Fordyce, Stephan Duke, Terron Mohabir, Darren Dublin, Tyreek Sampson, Chaziah Bernard, Tyler Tappin, Josiah Cumberbatch, Hartley Price, Avion Kesney, and Leon Simon.
Warren Wilson and Kwesi Thompson will coach the boys, while Osafa Johnson and Ann Gordon will lead the girls’ team.
The GBF expects competitive performances from both squads, believing the experience of returning players, combined with the energy and determination of the newcomers, will help Guyana make a strong impression.
The competition will give the young players an opportunity to measure their progress against familiar regional opponents while gaining experience in international basketball.
Basketball has a longstanding place in the Inter-Guiana Games, with the rivalry between Guyana and Suriname producing many closely contested encounters over the years. French Guiana’s participation has added to the tournament’s regional importance and widened the opportunities available to young athletes.
For the GBF, the Games also serve as a platform to develop emerging talent, strengthen relationships among the participating territories and identify players with the potential to advance to higher levels of competition.