The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas recently released its pool of players for the third and final leg of the FIBA AmeriCup 2020 Qualifiers and we are now starting to learn about the team they will be facing in game one as the United States begins to put its roster together.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported that former NBA All-Star guards Isiah Thomas and Joe Johnson have confirmed their participation for Team USA at the competition set for February 19-20, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The current window of qualifiers runs concurrently with the NBA season and the G-League “bubble” in Orlando, Florida, leaving USA Basketball with a smaller pool of players to select from.

Thomas, 31, currently a free agent, is a two-time All-Star, All-NBA Second Team selection and All-Rookie Second Team selection. He has played for seven franchises over the course of his nine-year career and last appeared for the Washington Wizards in the 2019-20 season.

Johnson, 39, played 18 seasons for 7 NBA franchises. He was a seven time All-Star, All-NBA Third Team selection, and All-Rookie Second Team selection.

Team Bahamas will be selected from the list of the following players:

Elyjah Clark, Lynden Rose Jr, Dominic Bridgewater, D’Shon Taylor, Michael Carey Jr, Travis Munnings, Kentwan Smith, Mychal Thompson Jr, brothers Kadeem and Dwight Coleby, Willis Mackey, Nashad Mackey, Tavario Miller, David Nesbitt, Jaron Cornish, Godfrey Rolle III, Zane Knowles Shaquille ‘Shaq’ Cleare, Ahmad Pratt, Ronnie ‘JR’ Cadot, Corey Sands, Adam Johnson and Kemsey Sylvestre.

While head coach DeMarco will not be available because of his commitment to the Golden State Warriors where he is an assistant coach, the team is expected to be led by Norris Bain.

At the last window in November, the Bahamas lost 99-59 to the USA and 91-85 to Puerto Rico.

The Bahamas dropped to 1-3 at the group stage of the qualifiers and moved into a tie with previously winless Puerto Rico. In the next window of qualifiers, The Bahamas faces The United States on February 18, followed by a February 20 matchup against Puerto Rico.

The Bahamas would need a win over Puerto Rico or two losses from Mexico to have an opportunity to qualify. The Bahamas holds the tiebreaker over Mexico by the aggregate score of the first window last February.

The top three teams from each group will qualify for the FIBA AmeriCup 2022. AmeriCup is the FIBA Americas championship. The United States won the last edition of the event in 2017.

Team USA is currently 4-0 and guaranteed a top three spot and AmeriCup berth.