MIES, Switzerland — The latest FIBA World Ranking for Women has revealed a seismic shift in the global basketball landscape, with Caribbean nations making significant strides up the ladder.
While the United States continues its undisputed reign at the top with 1076.1 points, the real story for fans in the region is the impressive upward mobility of several island nations.
The Bahamas has emerged as the standout performer in the Caribbean, leaping an astounding 20 spots to claim rank No 67 globally. With 97.8 points, the Bahamian squad has signalled their intent to become a major force in the region.
Right behind them in terms of momentum are the U.S. Virgin Islands. The territory climbed 16 places to land at No 48 with 138.1 points. This significant jump places them as the third-highest-ranked Caribbean team in the world, behind only Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Further down the table, Guyana recorded the largest point movement of any nation in the update. The Guyanese squad skyrocketed 23 places to rank No 95 (52.6 points), marking the biggest climb of any team in the ranking.
Among the traditional powerhouses, Puerto Rico remains the highest-ranked Caribbean side. Las Boricuas moved up one spot to No 12 with 543.5 points, sitting just behind Canada (No 11) and Brazil (No 10).
The Dominican Republic also continued its ascent, moving up four spots to No 32 with 206.1 points.
Jamaica also saw positive movement, rising four places to No 105 (40 points). While they sit at the bottom of the Caribbean pecking order in this update, the upward trend is a positive sign.
Not all news was positive for the region. Cuba experienced a slight setback, dropping two spots to No 52 with 127.1 points. They were the only Caribbean nation to see a decrease in their ranking in this update.
At the very top, the USA remains untouchable with zero movement. Brazil and Canada both experienced slight drops (down one and four spots respectively), allowing Puerto Rico to close the gap in the top 15.
Top Caribbean Rankings (FIBA Women’s World Ranking):
Puerto Rico: No 12 (+1)
Dominican Republic: No 32 (+4)
Virgin Islands: No 48 (+16)
Cuba: No 52 (-2)
Bahamas: No 67 (+20)
Guyana: No 95 (+23)
Jamaica: No 105 (+4)
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