Dominica Edge Out Bermuda in Pre-Qualifiers Group Final
IslandStats.com
Dominica won the battle of the tournament's undefeated sides, grinding out a hard-fought 72-65 victory over Bermuda in the final match of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers group phase.
In a highly anticipated showdown in Georgetown, Guyana, it was a bruising third-quarter chokehold by Dominica that ultimately fractured a razor-thin contest.
There was nothing to separate the two teams during an intense, high-tempo opening quarter, with both sides trading heavy blows to finish locked at 14-14.
Bermuda found their offensive rhythm in the second period. Spearheaded by dynamic guard play, the Gombey Warriors outscored their rivals 20-19 in the frame, allowing them to retreat to the locker rooms at half-time clutching a slender 34-33 lead.
The game turned irrevocably on its head immediately after the restart. Dominica emerged from the interval with a ferocious defensive press, completely disrupting Bermuda's ball movement and restricting them to a meager 10 points in the third quarter.
Pounding the rock inside, Dominica plundered 19 points of their own to seize a commanding advantage heading into the final stretch.
Despite a valiant final-quarter fightback where Bermuda outscored Dominica 21-20, the mountain proved too steep to climb.
Bermuda's resistance was anchored by a magnificent individual display from Adam McDonald, who weaponized his perimeter shooting to lead all island scorers with 23 points. Cameron Basden offered formidable support, chipping in with a crucial 16 points of his own.
Under the glass, Denash Davis and Malachi Scott put in a grueling shift, each hauling down a team-high 10 rebounds, while Leigh-Jaelen Williams narrowly missed out on double figures with nine boards. Facilitator Caelin Peters pull the strings from the backcourt, dishing out five assists on a night where Bermuda simply ran out of track.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Heartbreak for Bermuda after narrow defeat by hosts Guyana
IslandStats.com
Bermuda suffered agonizing heartbreak in their FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers campaign, slipping to a narrow fifty-nine to fifty-six defeat against tournament hosts Guyana.
It marks a third consecutive loss for the national team in what proved to be a highly charged, low-scoring defensive battle from start to finish.
Bermuda started the contest with intent, edging a cagey opening quarter twelve to eleven to claim an early advantage. However, the host nation responded in front of a raucous home crowd, taking the second quarter twenty-one to sixteen to establish a thirty-one to twenty-eight lead at the half-time interval.
Refusing to let the game slip away, Bermuda mounted a gritty third-quarter comeback. Led by a resolute defensive effort, they took the period sixteen to thirteen to tie the match and set up a grandstand finish.
Ultimately, the final quarter came down to fine margins. Guyana managed to make the crucial plays down the stretch, outscoring Bermuda fourteen to twelve in the final period to seal the victory by just three points.
Despite the collective disappointment, Malachi Scott put in a magnificent individual performance for Bermuda. Scott led the line with a game-high sixteen points and dominated under the glass to secure a double-double with twelve rebounds. Leigh-Jaelen Williams also contributed heavily to the offensive rhythm, pulling the strings with six assists alongside two steals, but their efforts were just short of causing a famous upset on Guyanese soil.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Bermuda Fall to Turks and Caicos in AmeriCup Pre-Qualifiers
IslandStats.com
Bermuda suffered a setback in their FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers campaign, slipping to a seventy-six to sixty-one defeat against a clinical Turks and Caicos side.
It marks the national team's second loss of the tournament, leaving them with plenty of work to do in the upcoming group fixtures.
A sluggish opening period ultimately left Bermuda chasing the game, as they were outscored twenty to ten in the first quarter.
The team showed great resilience to claw their way back into contention during the second quarter, outscoring their opponents seventeen to thirteen to reduce the deficit to a manageable six points, trailing thirty-three to twenty-seven at the half-time interval.
However, any hopes of a second-half resurgence were dashed in a difficult third quarter. Turks and Caicos turned up the offensive pressure, outscoring Bermuda twenty-three to twelve to pull well clear.
Although Bermuda fought until the final buzzer—shaving two points off the lead by winning the final quarter twenty-two to twenty—the damage had already been done.
Leigh-Jaelen Williams and Malachi Scott fought hard to lead the Bermudian scoring effort, with both players contributing thirteen points. Adam McDonald also reached double figures with eleven points, while Cameron Basden chipped in with ten.
Williams was an influential presence under the glass, falling just one rebound short of a double-double with nine boards, while Scott hauled in seven. Basden led the team's playmaking with three assists, and McDonald put in a strong defensive shift to record a team-high five steals, but their combined efforts were not enough to deny Turks and Caicos the victory.
Wednesday, July 08, 2026
Antigua & Barbuda power past Bermuda in FIBA Opener
IslandStats.com
Bermuda’s FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers campaign got off to a difficult start in Georgetown, Guyana, as a dominant second-half display saw them slide to an 82-50 defeat against Antigua and Barbuda.
A promising opening quarter quickly unraveled for Bermuda, who struggled to contain a ruthless Antiguan offense that took complete control after the first break.
Bermuda started with plenty of intent, executing efficiently on both ends of the floor to outscore Antigua 20-14 in the opening period.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter. Antigua hit their stride, exploiting defensive gaps to rack up 25 points while restricting Bermuda to just 12, heading into the halftime break with a 39-32 advantage.
Any hopes of a Bermudian fightback were decisively extinguished in a bruising third quarter. Bermuda's offense went cold under intense pressure, managing a meager five points, while Antigua poured in another 25 to stretch the lead beyond reach.
The final period followed a similar pattern, with Antigua adding 23 points to seal a comfortable 32-point victory, despite a slight offensive recovery from Bermuda who put up 13.
Bermuda will look to iron out their second-half transitional struggles as they prepare for their next group stage fixture in Guyana.
Malachi Scott scored a team high 14 points, Leigh-Jaelen Williams had a team high 9 rebounds, and Caelin Peters had a team high 2 assists.
Monday, July 06, 2026
Phillips names Veteran-Heavy Roster for Bermuda in Guyana
IslandStats.com
Bermuda Basketball Head Coach Sullivan Phillips has finalized his 11-man squad ahead of a high-stakes campaign at the FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers in Georgetown, Guyana.
The tournament, which officially runs from July 8th to 12th, serves as the foundational opening chapter on the long developmental road toward the FIBA AmeriCup.
Following an official draw ceremony held by regional executives in Miami, Florida, Bermuda now have a clear picture of the formidable task ahead. The island nation has been placed into a highly competitive Group A, setting up blockbuster round-robin clashes against Dominica, Turks and Caicos, Antigua & Barbuda, and the formidable host nation, Guyana.
Phillips, alongside assistant coach Gavin Mackenzie and team delegate Tim Trott, has selected a roster that blends explosive perimeter speed with essential frontcourt grit. The team will be heavily reliant on its backcourt chemistry to break down the physical, high-pressing defensive structures traditional to Caribbean basketball.
Bermuda Team
Cameron Basden, Samuel Darrell, Steveland Brown-Darrell, DeNash Davis, Anton Harris-Gilbert Jr., Eric Lambert, Jonathan Lowe, Adam McDonald, Caelin Peters, Malachi Scott, Leigh Williams.
The squad will face an immediate trial by fire at the newly renovated Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. With five teams jammed into a single group and only the top seeds guaranteed safe passage to the secondary qualification phases, there is zero margin for error from the opening tip-off.
Bermuda’s tournament path will require extreme physical endurance, with the group phase forcing teams to navigate back-to-back fixtures in stifling tropical humidity.
The inclusion of hosts Guyana in Group A adds massive theatrical flavor to the schedule. The Golden Arrowhead outfit will be backed by a notoriously raucous home crowd as they look to reassert their dominance on home soil for the first time in over three decades.
However, with Phillips' technical blueprint firmly implemented during a rigorous local training camp, Bermuda's unit heads south with quiet confidence, looking to cause a massive upset on the regional stage.
