KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines — St. Vincent and the Grenadines has wrapped up its campaign at the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Caribbean Pre-Qualifiers with a third-place finish in Group B, following a spirited performance that showcased the country’s emerging basketball talent.
Competing in the tournament held from July 8 to 12 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in Georgetown, Guyana, the Vincentian men’s senior national team recorded two convincing victories before falling in its final two matches.
SVG opened the competition with an impressive 85-66 win over Grenada before dominating the Cayman Islands 96-63. The team later suffered defeats to Haiti (100-66) and eventual group winners Barbados (96-84), finishing behind Barbados and Haiti in the Group B standings.
One of the tournament’s standout performers for St. Vincent and the Grenadines was rookie guard Shad Thomas, who once again led the team in scoring during the final game against Barbados. Thomas finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, continuing an impressive tournament that highlighted his growing reputation as one of the country’s brightest basketball prospects.
Fresh from signing his first professional contract with Spanish club Bisbal Bàsquet for the 2026-2027 season, Thomas’ performances provided a glimpse of the future of Vincentian basketball.
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Basketball Federation praised the commitment and determination shown by the players throughout the tournament and commended Head Coach Justin Scott, Assistant Coach Randolph “Sticky” Williams and the entire delegation for their professionalism.
The Federation also recognized the leadership of Head of Delegation and SVGBF President Suzette Jackson and Team Manager/Chef de Mission Sabrina Mitchell for helping ensure the team’s successful participation on the international stage.
The tournament also marked the end of an era for three national team veterans. Team Captain Chrisford Telesford, Phillip Lawrence-Ricks and Sean Baptiste have announced their retirement from national duty after years of representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines with distinction. The Federation said it hopes to keep all three involved in basketball through coaching, mentorship and player development programmes so their experience can continue benefiting future generations.
The SVGBF also expressed gratitude to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, corporate sponsors, donors, the Vincentian diaspora, volunteers and supporters whose contributions made the team’s participation possible. Special recognition was given to former NBA player Adonal Foyle and the Kerosene Lamp Foundation for providing the team’s uniforms, along with sponsors C.K. Greaves and the St. Vincent Teachers’ Credit Union.
Although the team’s qualification campaign has ended, the Federation says it remains proud of the resilience shown throughout the competition and believes the experience gained will strengthen future national teams. It also reaffirmed its commitment to developing basketball locally under its #REBOUND initiative, aimed at revitalizing and elevating the sport across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.