MIAMI (United States) - The FIBA Women's Basketball League Americas (WBLA) is hosting its Group B phase in Medellin, Colombia from September 27-29, and the United States will have a team representing them this year as the Bay Area Phoenix of the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA) take part in the action. The Phoenix bring a roster that includes talent with experience in FIBA, WNBA, WPBA, college basketball competitions and other international clubs. While the team is ready to face off against the continent's top women's clubs, being able to have a high-level competition that showcases women’s basketball in the Americas at the club level allows athletes to continue to strive for success in the space. “Being an athlete, professional athlete, in the overseas space within the last eight years, being able to be on this international stage now, it means a lot. We have to set the standard, and coming into this, not only does it mean a lot to the Bay Area, but it means a lot to the women that are on this team, because they've put in countless hours into their craft,” said Faatimah Amen-Ra, who is the co-founder of the Women's Premier Basketball Association and a player for the Bay Area Phoenix.
“We're blessed to be here, but we're also we're working on taking care of business while we're out there.” Some of the talent on the roster includes Danielle Robinson, a former WNBA veteran who brings 13 years of experience to the team, as well as Ameela Li, who was named the 2023-24 WPBA Basket League Finals MVP playing with the Bay City Blaze. Kamilah Jackson brings WBLA experience to the team, playing last season with Teporacas of Mexico, averaging 14 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in the competition.
“We're learning, because the roster is new for everyone. As we get together and we try to mesh the talent… we have people from the WNBA, we have people from the WPBA, we've got college Division 1 players who may have short or very little overseas experience, and then some people that are veterans. I think it's going to be exciting to watch it grow, because every day we have practice, it gets a little better, a little smoother,” said Phoenix head coach Bryan Gardere. “It is fun and exciting to see, like the roster kind of blends together because we have a little bit of size, a little speed, some shooters, I'm not as familiar with the pool, so just making sure we have a little bit of everything, whether it's athleticism, length, some posts, quick guards, some bigger, stronger guards, I think we cover our bases. I think it should be good, I'm excited.” “At the end of the day, these women love to compete. They love the atmosphere of being able to play on a national stage, a big stage at that point. Coming in here, everyone knows what is going to be expected of them. I believe as soon as those lights come on, we're going to show our very best,” added Amen-Ra. The Phoenix are set to compete in Group B during the tournament's group phase, facing off against Pioneras de Delicias (MEX), Salvadorenas B.C. (ESA) and Indeportes Antioquia (COL). Indeportes Antioquia and Salvadorenas both competed in WBLA last season, with Indeportes Antioquia taking the inaugural title with a win over Malvín (URU). Pioneras de Delicias will also be making their WBLA debut alongside the Phoenix.
“With the other teams in the in the group, we know they're going to present some problems or some issues, because I know couple teams have some 6’5” posts, maybe more than one, and so we may have to double down and do some different things. I feel like from the jump, we're going to try to make our presence be known from the very first possession, just try to be super aggressive… play with joy, but like you could, you can do both, you could be fierce and you can smile at the same time,” said Gardere.
With a player like Robinson who brings experience from the top women’s basketball league in the U.S., the Phoenix are looking to her for leadership as well as her on court strengths, on top of the other talent brought in with a breadth of experience from across the globe. The mindset for the team in the competition is not only to make history as the first representative of the United States in the WBLA, but also to take home hardware at the end of it. “[Robinson] is not just a Bay Area legend, but had been in the WNBA a long time, and she carries herself the way she does. I just got off the phone with her a few minutes ago, and she's like, ‘We're going to win this thing. There's no other option.’ And I just thought, at the end of the day, you love hearing that from the players, because that shows how invested they're going to be, and how excited they are to be a part of it,” said Gardere.
Unión Florida, the Argentine League champion, as well as Sportiva Italiana, the champions of Chile's league have already made it to the Final Four after their Group A play. In its second year, WBLA aims to strengthen FIBA's commitment to elevate women's basketball in the Americas, which already features competition like the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup that showcases women’s basketball at the national team level, but now puts an emphasis on the talent at the club level as well. “Being able to be a part of this history that's being made right now in women's basketball, it means a lot. We see increase in fan attendance, ticket sales, media, and to be able to be a part of WBLA in this moment, it shows that we're continuing to push the needle forward. We're doing our part to advance the women's game,” said Amen-Ra. “I know that we're going to continue to set the bar high. At the end of the day, this is a lot more about representation, we're setting the example for the next generation of athletes to be able to come out here and represent and continue to reach for their dreams and just continue to push and follow the love of the game. This is an amazing opportunity, and I'm excited to see where this goes. Sky's the limit for women's basketball right now.”
FIBA