Guyana basketball teams stumble in IGG openers

…boys falter late against French Guiana as girls suffer heavy defeat to Suriname

Guyana’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams endured a difficult opening day at the 2026 Inter Guiana Games (IGG) in Suriname yesterday, with both sides suffering defeats against their regional rivals at the Anthony Nesty Stadium.
The girls went down 67-25 to hosts Suriname in the opening game of the double-header, before the boys suffered a 92-67 defeat to French Guiana after a promising third-quarter resurgence failed to withstand a decisive late-game offensive surge.
For the boys, the defeat was particularly disappointing, given their ability to compete for extended periods before careless ball handling and defensive lapses in the final quarter allowed French Guiana to pull away.
French Guiana established their intentions early, building a 33-20 lead at the end of the opening quarter, with Chouino BeDout spearheading the offensive charge. BeDout finished with a game-high 24 points, consistently putting pressure on Guyana’s defence.

The French Guianese side maintained its offensive momentum in the second quarter, extending the advantage to 56-35 at halftime despite Guyana showing improved defensive commitment.
However, whatever adjustments Head Coach Warren Wilson and his assistant, Kwesi Thompson, made during the halftime interval appeared to have an immediate impact, as Guyana returned to the court with renewed energy and greater urgency on both ends of the floor.
Avion Kesney led the way, finishing with a team-high 15 points, while Josiah Cumberbatch added 14 and Tyreek Sampson contributed 13 as the Guyanese mounted their strongest spell of the contest.
Guyana outscored French Guiana 23-13 in the third quarter, combining more purposeful offensive execution with improved defensive pressure to cut the deficit to 11 points at 69-58 heading into the final period.
Stephan Duke, who contributed nine points, Leon Simon (four) and their teammates played important roles in tightening the defensive effort, restricting a previously free-scoring French Guiana unit to just 13 points for the quarter.
With momentum seemingly shifting, Guyana had an opportunity to make the contest considerably closer. Instead, the final quarter proved costly.
French Guiana capitalised on Guyana’s sloppy ball handling, forcing mistakes and converting them into scoring opportunities. Guyana managed just nine points in the final period, while French Guiana poured in 23 to close out a 92-67 victory.
The girls’ team, meanwhile, faced a considerably tougher challenge against Suriname, who controlled much of the contest on their way to a commanding 67-25 victory.

Guyana made a respectable start, trailing 16-10 at the end of the first quarter, with Junelly Paddy leading the offensive effort.
Paddy finished with a team-high 10 points, while Breanna Benjamin added six to help keep the Guyanese within reach during the opening exchanges.
However, Suriname gradually tightened its grip on the game, using a decisive 20-point scoring run to create separation and leave Head Coach Osafa Johnson and assistant Coach Ann Gordon searching for answers from the side-lines.
The hosts’ sustained offensive pressure proved too much for Guyana, whose scoring output was unable to keep pace as the deficit widened.
Despite the disappointing result, the opening game provides the Guyanese girls with an opportunity to identify areas requiring improvement before their next assignment.

Crucial tests await
Both teams will return to action today, with the boys facing defending champions Suriname, while the girls take on French Guiana.