Suriname edged French Guiana 36-34 in a thrilling women’s basketball matchup as the Inter-Guiana games swung into action yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The Suriname female basketball team held their composure to emerge victorious in an intense encounter against arch-rivals French Guiana in the first competition of the second stage of this year’s inter Guiana games.

Coach of the Suriname female basketball team, Roy Karsodikromo told Stabroek Sport that his team may have gained the edge over the french side because of a new defensive strategy that he had instituted.

“Today we frustrated them when we used our brand new house defence, a system that we also plan to use in the match against Guyana when we play them tomorrow,” he said confidently after the game.

There was much at stake in this match as the French Guiana team was hoping to gain revenge, after Suriname won a nail-biting encounter in overtime to capture the female title last year. In the first quarter of the game the French Guiana looked certain of gaining revenge when they hustled out to an early 10-7 lead at the end of the quarter. However, Suriname continued to display their superior ball movement, which got them right back in the game just seconds into the second quarter.

The Suriname offence was controlled by play maker Susan Lau who carefully orchestrated the plays by the winning side. Lau gave a stunning all round performance, to pilot the Suriname ladies a 22-16 lead at the half.

This lead was then extended to 10 points at the end of the third quarter when the Suriname offence was able to hurt their opponents from beyond the arch and from within the paint through six-foot centre Sundrina Hunsel and forward Withney De Ryp.