Team Jamaica suffered a second consecutive home defeat in the FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifiers, falling 97-81 to Canada at the National Indoor Sports Centre yesterday. Canada controlled the game from the tip-off, leveraging superior shooting efficiency to secure their fourth straight victory.
Jamaica struggled with accuracy, shooting just 34% from the field. In contrast, Canada was clinical, hitting 51% overall and draining 13 of 26 three-pointers. The visitors raced to an early lead with back-to-back threes by Nate Darling. Charles Bediako capped the first quarter with an alley-oop as the visitors took a 27-19 lead. By halftime, Canada had extended their advantage to 49-36, and they maintained a 20-point cushion heading into the final period.
Tyran De Lattibeaudiere led Jamaica with a game-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. He was supported by Andrew Thelwell (12) and Chase Audige (11). For Canada, Marcus Carr (17), Kyle Wiltjer (16), and Kassius Robertson (15) led a balanced attack.
Group B Standings
Canada remains atop Group B with a perfect 4-0 record (8 points). Jamaica sits second with a 2-2 record (6 points). Puerto Rico moved into third place with 5 points after defeating Bahamas 71-66, holding the head-to-head advantage over Bahamas, who also have 5 points.
Next Steps
Jamaica’s quest to reach the final round continues with two away games:
1. July 3: @ Bahamas (Nassau)
2. July 6: @ Canada (Hamilton, Ontario)
A win in either of these final qualifiers is crucial for Jamaica to secure a top-three spot and advance.
