IRAPUATO (Mexico) – The national teams of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and host Mexico earned their second victories in the FIBA Centrobasket Women’s Championship 2024, held at the Inforum in Irapuato, Mexico. With these wins, they sealed their spots in the tournament’s Semifinals and secured their places in the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup. Here’s what happened on the second day of action:
El Salvador stays in the hunt
El Salvador (1-1) got back into the race for qualification in Group A by defeating Costa Rica (0-2) 64-53. For the second day in a row, Hillary Martínez was close to a triple-double, this time scoring 21 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 8 assists to lead El Salvador. Emily Tevez contributed 15 points, and Silvia Vega added 9.
The Salvadoran team took the initiative and stayed in front on the scoreboard throughout. A 20-9 run in the second quarter gave them a 36-22 lead at halftime, allowing them to control the game with confidence. Defense was key for the winners, who totaled 15 steals, leading Costa Rica to 22 turnovers. El Salvador capitalized on these mistakes, dominating points off turnovers 23-4. Ariana Mora was the most effective player for Costa Rica with 18 points and 5 rebounds, while Karina Araya added 13 points.
Puerto Rico survives again
Puerto Rico (2-0), similar to their opening game, saved their best for the closing minutes, defeating Cuba (1-1) 79-66 in Group A. The Puerto Rican team, with a 19-7 run in the final 10 minutes, broke open a close game that had been within one point (60-59) going into the third quarter. Cuba closed the gap to 65-64 with a three-pointer from Rachel Contreras with 7:07 left in the game, but Puerto Rico tightened up on defense and completely shut down Cuba's offense. The Cubans scored only two more points, which came with just 26 seconds left on the clock when the game was already decided. The defending champions went on a 14-2 run in the last seven minutes, sealing the game when Charity Harris hit a mid-range jumper that extended their lead to 12 (76-64) with 2:34 remaining.
Arella Guirantes continued her strong performance with 24 points and 8 assists, leading coach Jerry Batista’s squad. India Pagán and Brianna Jones each contributed 11 points, while Tayra Meléndez added 9 points and 9 rebounds. For Cuba, María Montero stood out with 16 points and 6 assists. Nahomis Vargas contributed 12 points and 7 rebounds, while Yamara Amargo and Contreras (7 rebounds) each added 10 points. On Thursday, Cuba and El Salvador will face off for second place in Group A and a spot in the Semifinals.
Martínez posts a triple-double for the Dominican Republic
Esmery Martínez recorded a triple-double with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, along with 3 steals, in the Dominican Republic's comfortable 116-41 win over Guatemala (0-2) in Group B. The Dominican team quickly showcased their superiority across the board and enjoyed an offensive showcase. Two other players also scored at least 20 points—Cesarina Capellán reached 22 points with 9 rebounds and 4 steals, while Yohanna Morton added 20. Génesis Evangelista and Yamel Abreu (8 rebounds) contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Astrid García (8 rebounds) and Argi Pérez (9 rebounds) each scored 11 points for Guatemala, who only managed to shoot 18 percent from the field (13-72).
The hosts continue to dominate
Mexico (2-0) was solid on both ends of the court, defeating the Virgin Islands (0-2) 85-57. The home team took control of the game, setting up a strong defense against the physical play of the Caribbean team. Mexico limited their opponents’ offense to just 35 percent shooting (22-62), while on the other end, they were highly effective in attacking the basket and scoring easy points. Under the guidance of coach Mitchell Thompson, the Mexicans shot 52 percent (35-67) and dominated points in the paint 46-28. They also recovered 12 turnovers, capitalizing with 22 points off those mistakes.
Point guard Hazel Ramírez destabilized her opponents with 21 points and 8 assists. Anisa Jeffries followed with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Myriam Lara posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 boards. The Mexican team finished the game strong, outscoring the Virgin Islands 26-9 in the final period. For the Virgin Islands, Anisha George (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Imani Tate (15 points, 11 rebounds) stood out, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Mexico.
Top Highlight
Top performer
FIBA