Barbados and Antigua and Barbuda topped their respective groups to advance to the second round of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers here on Sunday.
Competing in the Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers, Barbados played unbeaten in Group B to finish with a 4-0 record, while Antigua & Barbuda secured top spot in Group A with a 3-1 record.
The two teams join Costa Rica, which also advanced to the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers second round after winning the Central American Pre-Qualifiers last March.
Cuba, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will also compete in the next stage after being eliminated in the first round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers.
Barbados finished the tournament with a hard-fought 96-84 victory over St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Playing at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, the game remained tightly contested through three quarters, featuring eight lead changes and multiple momentum swings, before Barbados delivered the stronger finish and put the game to bed in the final quarter.
Kyrone Alexander was the standout performer for Barbados, finishing with 32 points and 11 rebounds. His third-quarter explosion, when he poured in 12 points in a span of 2:41- including two three-pointers and multiple trips to the line -helped Barbados seize control and consolidate their advantage.
He received support from Rasheed Maynard, who added 22 points, while Carl Thorpe chipped in 19 points.
For St Vincent and the Grenadines, Shad Thomas led the way with 16 points.
Needing a win in their final game to finish at the top of Group A, Antigua & Barbuda thrashed Turks and Caicos 86-57.
Antigua & Barbuda seized control early, build a double-digit lead in the first quarter, and steadily extend the margin in a lopsided contest.
Xavier Spencer stole the spotlight with a double double of 27-points and 10 rebounds for Antigua & Barbuda, Preston Merrick poured in 26 points and Jamine Charles contributed 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Ethan Taylor did everything he could for Turks and Caicos, tallying 25 points in a losing cause. (CMC)
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