Cayman’s men’s and women’s teams battled against a strong field at the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League 2025 Americas 2 tournament in Punta Arenas, Chile, proving their resilience on the international stage.
This elite basketball competition, hosted 21-27 July, fostered significant growth for both the men’s and women’s national teams. For the winning teams, the tournament serves as a pathway to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in China later this year.
During the first three days of the tournament, Cayman faced a challenging start, unable to secure any wins but showing their grit and gaining valuable experience.
On 21 July, the men began with a 21-15 loss to Canada, followed by a close 21-17 defeat against Chile.
Day two brought another loss, 21-4, to Canada. The Cayman team then showed resilience against the USA before ultimately falling 21-13.
On day three, they played a highly competitive game against the undefeated USA, resulting in a narrow 18-13 loss that highlighted their developing confidence.
The women’s team also faced significant challenges against formidable opponents in the initial days of the tournament.
On 21 July, they sustained defeats against regional powerhouses, losing 22-5 to Canada and 21-2 to the USA.
Day two saw another difficult match against Canada, ending in a 21-2 loss.
Despite the scores, they showed signs of progress later that day, scoring eight points against Chile in a 21-8 defeat.
Their second encounter with Chile on day three, 23 July, resulted in a 21-5 loss, but the team continued to build chemistry and demonstrate effort.
The winner of a FIBA 3×3 game is the first team to score 21 points, or the team with the higher score at the 10-minute mark.
Friday and Saturday game action
After a much-needed rest day on 24 July, the teams were back in action.
The tournament resumed on Friday with both Cayman teams facing Canada again, but neither was able to secure a win against the powerhouse. The women lost 21-3, and the men fell 22-4.
The Cayman women later faced the USA, losing 21-3 in a game where Captain Lyandrea Watson sustained an injury. She was, however, able to compete in the subsequent game days.
Shortly after, Cayman’s men closed off the day strong against Chile but were unable to secure the win, losing 21-11.
Saturday continued with both Cayman teams taking on Canada. The men had a strong showing, putting up 12 points and pushing the pace before falling 21–12. Despite their efforts, the women fell 22–2.
The women later took on host nation Chile in the afternoon. Despite a strong first half where they limited their opponents to 8 points, they ultimately fell 21-5.
Closing out the day, the Cayman men later faced the undefeated USA. They held a lead through the first third of the game and scored 7 points before eventually falling 21-7.
Despite the results, coaches and supporters noted that Cayman’s communication on defence, rebounding presence and physical toughness had all improved noticeably since the tournament began, according to CIBA’s Instagram page.
Strong finish for Cayman men
The Cayman men delivered their strongest showing, pushing Canada to the limit in a thrilling contest that ended 21–20 in favour of the Canadians.
Earlier in the day, the Cayman men also held their own against USA, falling 21–10 in a highly physical encounter.
The women’s team faced tough opposition in their final two games, falling 21–7 to Chile and 21–2 to USA.
Collin Anglin, CIBA president, praised both teams for their performances in the FIBA 3×3 competition and highlighted the long-term value of their participation.
“We are extremely proud of how our athletes represented the Cayman Islands. The men’s near-upset of Canada proves that we belong on this stage. And while the women’s team is still very young, they’ve shown heart, resilience and great potential,” Anglin said.
“This tournament was never just about wins – it was about growth, exposure and building a foundation for our future. Our players are coming home motivated, and we’ll be working hard to close the gap before we return to this stage next year.”
Men’s Captain Nathaniel Hurlston-Anderson added, “It’s been a massive learning experience for us.
“The team has been put in uncomfortable positions, playing against guys who are significantly bigger than us and who have more experience in this competition, but yet, every game we’ve competed and it’s been close. So … we’re proud of ourselves, yet humble enough to know that we could do better.”
He said that with the close scores of their games, their opponents were forced to take Cayman seriously.
The USA clinched first place in the men’s competition, with Argentina securing second and Canada finishing third.
For the women, Chile claimed the top spot, Canada earned second, and the USA finished third.
Under the guidance of Coach Duran ‘Trinni’ Whittaker, the men’s tournament team featured Captain Nathaniel Hurlston-Anderson, Bryan Ebanks-Perez, Brad Lansdell, Alwin Buttrum, Umar Gordon and Toure Montague.
The women’s tournament team, coached by Wendy Manzanares, was led by Captain Lyandrea Watson and included Annika Moore, Jamie Rankin-Maize, Bethany Ebanks and Soleya Manzanares.
“With the tournament now complete, attention turns to off-season development, as both teams look to build on the experience gained in Chile,” Anglin said.
