Overtime heartbreak for Guyana in Women’s AmeriCup opener

Guyana suffered a heartbreaking start to their FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2027 Centrobasket Qualifiers campaign on Sunday, surrendering a commanding 22-point lead before falling 85-84 in overtime to El Salvador in a thrilling group phase contest at the Polideportivo Alexis Argüello in Managua, Nicaragua.
Despite controlling the game for more than 32 minutes, Guyana were undone by a remarkable second-half comeback, with Brandi Harvey-Carr hitting the winning basket with just 21 seconds remaining in overtime.
The defeat overshadowed a sensational performance from Ruth Adams, who poured in a game-high 33 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in one of the finest displays by a Guyanese women’s national player.
Captain Joy Adams was equally outstanding, recording a triple-double of 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, while adding five steals in a superb all-round effort.
National team debutant Ava Thomas announced herself in style with 20 points, including several crucial baskets, while Anaya Mc David registered a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Guyana could not have asked for a better start. After the score was tied 6-6 midway through the opening quarter, the visitors erupted on a devastating 20-0 run that stretched into the second period to build a commanding 26-6 advantage.
Joy Adams led the charge during the run, scoring six points on perfect shooting while dominating the boards. Guyana’s relentless defence forced turnovers and sparked easy scoring opportunities as the lead swelled to a game-high 22 points at 28-6 early in the second quarter.
The Guyanese carried a comfortable 43-26 lead into halftime and appeared firmly in control.

However, El Salvador emerged from the break with renewed energy and gradually chipped away at the deficit behind the outstanding Harvey-Carr, who repeatedly attacked the basket and finished efficiently in the paint.
A decisive 13-0 run in the fourth quarter transformed a 65-58 Guyana lead into a 71-65 advantage for El Salvador with 4:23 remaining in regulation. Harvey-Carr scored 10 points during that burst to swing the momentum in the hosts’ favour.
However, Guyana refused to fold. Ruth and Joy Adams, along with Thomas and Mc David, rallied the team to force overtime after a tense finish to regulation.
With El Salvador leading 83-81 in the extra period, Thomas buried a clutch three-pointer to put Guyana back in front 84-83. But Harvey-Carr responded moments later, calmly knocking down a two-point jumper with 21 seconds remaining to restore El Salvador’s lead at 85-84.
Guyana had one final chance to steal victory, but Thomas’s potential game-winning three-pointer with 13 seconds left narrowly missed the mark and El Salvador escaped with the slim victory.
Harvey-Carr finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and three steals, shooting an outstanding 13-of-19 from the field. Gabriela Alfaro added 15 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Emily Tevez chipped in with 12 points and seven assists.
The statistics highlighted the cruel nature of the defeat. Guyana led for 32 minutes and 49 seconds compared to El Salvador’s nine minutes and 20 seconds, despite the hosts emerging victorious. The contest also featured 10 lead changes, with the final one coming on Harvey-Carr’s game-winning basket in overtime.
Guyana will have little time to dwell on the defeat as they return to the court today for a must-win encounter against Puerto Rico to keep their qualification hopes alive.