NASSAU (Bahamas) - For the Bahamas, there was little room for error entering Window 3 of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Americas Qualifiers. Sitting at 1-3 with two games remaining and Canada already having secured first place in Group B, every possession mattered. Led by VJ Edgecombe, the Bahamas controlled the game almost from start to finish, leading for all but 46 seconds in a 123-74 victory over Jamaica on Friday night at Sir Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium in Nassau. The win improved the Bahamas to 2-3, leaving Puerto Rico as the only obstacle between the team and a historic first-ever FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification. “I hope I put on a show, but we’ve got one more game; that’s my main focus right now,” said Edgecombe. “Learn from the film, and focus on Puerto Rico.” Edgecombe finished with 26 points on 62.5 percent shooting, along with 9 rebounds and 5 steals for a game-high efficiency rating of 32 as the Bahamas cruised to victory.
Playing in his first Americas Qualifiers game for Bahamas, the 20-year-old showed that his upbringing in Bimini, learning from his teammate Buddy Hield, and knowing the Bahamian community was the foundation for success as he helped launch his team to the win. With the performance, Bahamas tied third for the most points in the Americas Qualifiers, and are among the top teams in three-pointers and field goals made. “VJ and those guys leading the way, we understood what the assignment was, but we’ve still got more work to do… The job’s not done until we qualify for the World Cup,” said head coach Mikhail McLean. Edgecombe is coming off an impressive rookie NBA season with the Philadelphia 76ers and has often credited his upbringing in the Bahamas and his experiences with the national team for accelerating his development. Playing in front of a packed home crowd in a must-win game made the moment even more meaningful.
I just love playing basketball. Any chance I get to hoop I do. Being able to hoop for the people that know me… I represent my family every time I step on the floor, in the NBA, in FIBA.”
“I play for the word across my chest, and the whole Bahamas is a family. Any chance I get to play for Bahamas, I’m here every chance!” said Edgecombe.
That experience was evident on Friday as Edgecombe had already tallied double-digit scoring by the half. The leading scorer for his squad was one of five players to score at least 12 or more points for Bahamas in their statement win after winning just one game across the first two windows. While the work is far from done, being able to make his country proud and the chance to make history for Bahamas basketball is part of what fuels Edgecombe to continue to succeed. “It’s the World Cup— we get a chance to qualify; hopefully it will be the first of many,” said Edgecombe. “Just to have all the support from all the locals, just to come in and watch, it’s a testament of how united our country is.”
FIBA