GLASGOW, Scotland – Guyana’s remarkable Commonwealth Games men’s 3×3 basketball journey came to a heartbreaking conclusion on Sunday after a dramatic 20-19 defeat to Nigeria, narrowly missing out on a place in the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games.
Needing victory to advance to the knockout stage, the Guyanese quartet produced one of their finest performances of the tournament, displaying grit, determination, resilience, and an unwavering fighting spirit against one of Africa’s strongest basketball nations.
With Guyana trailing late in the contest, Anish Ramlall delivered an outstanding performance, finishing with 10 points, including two clutch back-to-back two-pointers that levelled the score at 19-19, sending the Guyanese supporters into celebration.
Travis Belgrave added six crucial points, while Kevin Mickle and Christian Hinckson were immense on the defensive end, producing several key stops as Guyana fought their way back into contention. With just five seconds remaining, Nigeria’s Marcel Esonwune converted a heavily contested game-winning basket at the buzzer to seal the 20-19 victory, ending Guyana’s hopes of advancing.
Despite the disappointment, Team Guyana leaves Glasgow with its heads held high after making history. The tournament marked Guyana’s first-ever appearance in men’s 3×3 basketball at a Commonwealth Games, and the team also recorded the nation’s first Commonwealth Games 3×3 basketball victory, defeating the Cayman Islands earlier in the competition.
The performances against New Zealand, Scotland, Australia, and Nigeria demonstrated that Guyana possesses the talent, athleticism, and competitive spirit to challenge some of the world’s best 3×3 basketball programmes.
Following the match, Guyana Olympic Association Vice President and Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, who is in Glasgow representing Guyana along with Minister of Culture Youth and Sport Charles Ramson jr. at the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Ministerial Conference and supporting team Guyana, congratulated the players on their historic campaign.
Team Manager Rawle Toney “Although the result did not go our way, I was tremendously impressed by the character, resilience, and quality displayed by this team throughout the tournament. They represented Guyana with distinction and proved that we belong on this stage. This experience will undoubtedly serve as a platform for even greater success in the future.”
I would like to thank, the Guyana Olympic Association the executive members of the GABF Cubie Seegobin Adidas the Government of Guyana and all our sponsors supporters and more particularly the players our Physiotherapist Kevon David for their tremendous support during this journey
President of the Guyana Olympic Association, Godfrey Munroe, also commended the team and the Guyana Basketball Federation for their outstanding progress.
“This campaign has shown that Guyana has the talent and ability to compete with the very best teams in Commonwealth 3×3 basketball. Our players displayed tremendous heart, discipline, commitment, and belief throughout the tournament and earned the respect of everyone who watched them compete. I wish to congratulate the Guyana Basketball Federation under President Michael Singh General Secretary Patrick Haynes and their enthusiastic team for the tremendous work being done to develop the sport. The programme is clearly moving in the right direction, and the Guyana Olympic Association remains committed to supporting that growth as we continue building pathways for our athletes to excel internationally.
To Anish Ramlall, Kevin Mickle, Travis Belgrave, and Christian Hinckson—thank you for making Guyana proud. You competed with courage, unity, and determination, and you have inspired a new generation of basketball players across our country.”
The Guyana Olympic Association also expressed its appreciation to Head of Delegation, and the team’s physiotherapist
With the Commonwealth Games campaign now concluded, Guyana’s men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball teams will immediately shift their focus to the XXV Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santo Domingo, where they will aim to build on their international experience and challenge for medals against the region’s top teams.
While the final result brought heartbreak, Team Guyana leaves Glasgow having achieved something far greater than a single victory—they have demonstrated that Guyanese basketball has arrived on the international stage and has a bright future ahead.
