By Neto Baptiste
The Antigua and Barbuda Basketball Association (ABBA) has pulled the senior men’s team from the second round of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers, slated to begin on November 23 in Nicaragua and Venezuela.
The association was forced into the decision, according to General Secretary Carlena Humphreys, after a number of players reported that they could not get the required time off from their respective schools.
Humphreys also said the timing of the tournament conflicts with the schedules of some of the country’s professional players.
Antigua and Barbuda Bulldogs coach George Hughes said the situation did not come as a surprise, as participation depended heavily on the availability of players.
“It’s disappointing, but it was something we knew could have happened, based on the availability of the overseas-based players because, more than likely, we can’t go to that tournament with strictly local-based players only,” he said.
Antigua and Barbuda advanced to the second round of the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers following a convincing 86-57 triumph over the Turks and Caicos Islands in a crucial Group A showdown in Guyana on July 12.
The Bulldogs finished with a record of three wins and one loss as they topped their group and joined Group B winners Barbados and Costa Rica in advancing to the FIBA AmeriCup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers Second Round.
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.
Antigua and Barbuda Bulldogs pull out of FIBA qualifiers
