CIUDAD OBREGÓN (México) - Group A of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Pre-Qualifiers tipped off on Friday with two games at the ITSON Arena in Ciudad Obregón, Mexico. Jamaica and Mexico opened its campaigns with victories over Barbados and Costa Rica. The four national teams will play through Sunday, August 10, in a round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers on road to Qatar 2027. Here’s a look at the highlights from Day 1:
Barbados 79 - 101 Jamaica
Jamaica’s offense showcased its firepower, surpassing the 100-point mark and knocking down 12 three-pointers. Romaine Thomas and Romaro Gill led the attack with 20 and 19 points, respectively, each also recording a double-double with 10 and 11 rebounds. Thomas drained four shots from beyond the arc, while Gill added four blocks.
The Miami Heat guard Norman Powell made his debut for Jamaica, logging 28 minutes and finishing with 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He shot 3-for-7 from the field. The Jamaicans controlled the paint, outrebounding their opponents 56-42 and registering 7 blocked shots. They also tallied an impressive 28 assists, with Prince Foster and Seyi Reiley leading the way with six apiece. For Barbados, Kyrone Alexander scored a game-high 28 points with three triples and grabbed 9 rebounds. Akeem Marsh followed with 16 points. The Bajans outshot Jamaica from long range, making 13 three-pointers, but they did so on 48 attempts for a 27 percent efficiency.
Mexico 77 - 66 Costa Rica
The hosts saw their 20-point lead shrink to just six in the fourth quarter, but a 13–8 run over the final eight minutes was enough to secure their first win. Gabriel Girón scored 15 points, Joseph Ávila hit four three-pointers to finish with 14, and Israel Gutiérrez rounded out the offensive trio with 11 points, coming up just one rebound shy (9) of a double-double.
Mexico connected on 11 shots from beyond the arc and capitalized on Costa Rica’s 17 turnovers, converting them into 18 points on the other end. Meanwhile, Costa Rica was led by Avery Martínez (13), Víctor Arias (11), and Daniel Shedden (10). Next games: Saturday, August 9 (Day 2) CRC vs. JAM – 4:00 p.m. (local time) MEX vs. BAR – 8:00 p.m.
FIBA