Stanton Rose Jr will captain Guyana as the National Men’s Basketball team begins its FIBA Caribbean AmeriCup Pre-Qualifiers campaign today, July 8, at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH).
The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) named a 12-man squad yesterday to represent the Golden Arrowhead on home soil in the July 8-12 tournament, with Guyana drawn in Group A alongside Dominica, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and Bermuda.
Rose, who led Guyana to its historic first Caribbean men’s basketball title in 2018, has again been entrusted with the leadership role. His experience will be important for a squad made up of local players, overseas-based talent, and several players who have represented Guyana at previous international tournaments.
The competition will feature 10 teams split into two groups. Group B includes Haiti, Grenada, the Cayman Islands, Barbados, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Each team will play the others in its group once in a round-robin format, with only the group winners advancing to the next stage of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers.
Guyana’s local guard rotation includes Dominic Vincente, Nikolai Smith, Shelroy Thomas, and Domitre Rankin, who are expected to provide ball-handling, pace, and perimeter shooting. They will be supported by forwards Akil Hughes, Kimol Grimmond, Hulman Bovell, Rose, and Brandon Bento, giving the team added athleticism and depth.
The squad has also been strengthened by United States-based players Kevin Mickle and Kevon Wiggins. Mickle, a forward/centre who is set to make his debut, is expected to add size and physicality in the frontcourt, while Wiggins brings scoring, playmaking, and experience to the backcourt.
Naturalised forward Umar Rashid completes the roster and is expected to play an important role in the paint on both offence and defence.
Guyana will be led by head coach Vannie Walls, with Marlon Rodrigues and Clement Brusch serving as assistant coaches. The coaching staff will be aiming to use the team’s balance of youth, experience, and overseas-based talent to push Guyana into the next phase of qualification.
Guyana’s 12-man squad reads:
Guards: Dominic Vincente, Nikolai Smith, Shelroy Thomas, Domitre Rankin, and Kevon Wiggins
Forwards: Akil Hughes, Kimol Grimmond, Hulman Bovell, Stanton Rose Jr, Brandon Bento, and Umar Rashid
Forward/Centre: Kevin Mickle
Discover more from Guyana Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
