Saint Lucia’s participation in the FIBA AmeriCup 3×3 basketball tournament concluded abruptly on the opening day of competition in León, Mexico, following consecutive losses to regional rivals. The national team’s elimination from qualifying Group A was confirmed after suffering defeats against both Jamaica and Guyana on Thursday, November 27.
In their initial match against Jamaica, Saint Lucia struggled to find rhythm, falling decisively with a final score of 21-7. Despite Sidney Didier opening the scoring with an early basket, Jamaica responded with a devastating 12-0 scoring run that established dominance. A brief resurgence led by Troy Louison’s one-pointer sparked a 4-0 response from Saint Lucia, but Jamaica closed the game with an 8-3 advantage. Statistical disparities proved significant as Jamaica attempted 11 free throws (converting only five) while Saint Lucia had just two opportunities from the line, missing both attempts. Didier finished as Saint Lucia’s top scorer with three points.
The second qualifying match against Guyana delivered considerably more drama, extending into overtime before concluding 17-15 in Guyana’s favor. Saint Lucia demonstrated marked improvement, establishing an early 4-3 lead through Sharmoir Baptiste and maintaining a three-point advantage midway through the contest. The game featured multiple ties, including at 7-7 and 12-12, before reaching a dramatic conclusion. Louison’s two-pointer at the buzzer forced overtime at 15-15, but Guyana’s Travis Belgrave secured victory with another two-pointer in the extra period.
Belgrave emerged as the game’s standout performer with 10 points, while Didier and Louison contributed five points each for Saint Lucia. Baptiste added three points and Clayton William two. Both teams struggled from the free-throw line, with Guyana missing all four attempts and Saint Lucia failing to convert their two opportunities.
Jamaica ultimately won Group A by defeating Guyana 19-14, advancing to the main draw alongside Trinidad & Tobago, who secured progression with victories over Saint Kitts & Nevis (21-7) and Uruguay (21-18).