Jamaica missed a crucial opportunity to advance in FIBA World Cup qualifying after surrendering a nine-point lead to lose 99-96 to The Bahamas in front of a packed National Indoor Sports Centre on Friday.
Despite strong performances from Chase Audige (27 points) and Kofi Cockburn (18 points, 12 rebounds), the team could not hold off a late surge by Franco Miller (32 points) and the Bahamians. The loss marks Jamaica’s first defeat in the group stage, dropping them to second in Group B with five points.
Head Coach Rick Turner expressed deep disappointment, stating the team failed to capitalize on the historic occasion of hosting international basketball in Jamaica for the first time.
“It’s an incredible missed opportunity… to go out there and not really put our best foot forward is just super disappointing,” Turner said, citing a lack of communication and the team’s inability to lock in during critical moments.
Bahamas Coach Moses Johnson acknowledged the intensity of the home environment but praised his team’s resilience in a game that saw 15 lead changes.
Looking Ahead
Jamaica now faces an uphill battle against group leaders Canada (6 points) on Sunday. A victory is essential to secure a spot in the final round as one of the top three teams. Turner emphasized the need to return to the “us against the world” mentality that fueled their earlier success in Puerto Rico.
“We just had a weird vibe that it never felt like us… we need to get it figured out before the fifth-ranked team in the world comes in,” Turner noted.
The Bahamas, now on four points, remain in third place but could overtake Jamaica with a win against Puerto Rico in their next matchup.
