IRAPUATO (Mexico) – The current three-time champion, Puerto Rico, and the most successful team in tournament history, Cuba (16 titles), headline Group A in the 2024 Women’s Centrobasket Championship. Based on both recent form and historical achievements, these two teams are a step above the other contenders, El Salvador and Costa Rica. The four national teams will compete for two places in the Semi-Finals and for spots in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025. Let’s take a look at the outlook for Group A:
The Favorite: Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico’s recent success under coach Jerry Batista is well known. Since 2017, they have claimed three consecutive Centrobasket titles, reached the AmeriCup podium twice, and participated in two World Cups and two Olympic Games. During this time, they have been the most dominant team in the Caribbean and Central America, and one of the fastest-growing teams on the continent.
For this tournament, Puerto Rico is once again fielding a strong team to continue its regional dominance. Prolific scorer Arella Guirantes leads the squad, alongside key players like Brianna Jones, Tayra Meléndez, India Pagán, and Jacqueline Benítez. They will also introduce several new faces to assess their contributions in this new competitive cycle.
The Underdog: Costa Rica
In the 2022 tournament, Costa Rica went winless and finished in last place. Given that recent track record, they theoretically enter as the team with the lowest chances of advancing from this group. However, with another year of work under coach Cristián Chavarría, they could aim to improve on their previous performance.
Center Ana Matamoros and forward Amanda Fernández, who were Costa Rica’s top performers in the last Centrobasket, are among the selected players for this challenge.
The Pivotal Game: El Salvador vs. Cuba
This match, set for the final day of the Group Phase (November 7), could be the deciding factor in determining which team advances to the Semifinals. Cuba is coming off a bronze medal in the last edition and once again aims for a podium finish. In the 2023 AmeriCup, they achieved a notable win over Argentina, the current South American champion, showcasing the potential of this squad. Among the eligible players from the 2023 team are the experienced 39-year-old Yamara Amargo, as well as younger talents Nahomis Vargas (21) and Isabela Jourdain (20), along with Suanly Tanis. Anisleidy Galindo, Rachel Contreras, and María Montero, who had strong showings in the WBL Americas with the team Salvadoreñas, could also be added to the roster.
As for El Salvador, they finished fifth in the last Centrobasket after victories over Costa Rica and Guatemala. The team has been improving, but a win against Cuba would be a significant achievement. Hilary Martínez (18.8 PPG) and Emily Tevez (15.3), who performed well in the 2022 tournament, are once again key players for the squad. The potential addition of center Destiny Campbell would further boost the team’s chances.
The Open Question: Is There Potential for an Upset?
At this point, it’s difficult to envision Puerto Rico or Cuba stumbling out of the top two spots. What remains to be seen is whether Cuba can break their losing streak against their Caribbean rivals, who they haven’t defeated since 2015.
Puerto Rico remains the team to beat, but with some of its key players absent and new additions to the lineup, this could be Cuba’s best opportunity in the past decade.
FIBA