IRAPUATO (Mexico) – Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the host team, Mexico, made a strong start in the FIBA Centrobasket Women’s Championship 2024, which kicked off this Tuesday at the Inforum in Irapuato, Mexico. The four national teams opened with wins, positioning themselves well in the quest for four spots in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025. Here’s how the day unfolded:
Guirantes, Meléndez and Jones rescue Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico displayed their dominance in the final minute, securing a hard-fought 82-73 win against El Salvador in Group A. Tayra Meléndez scored a backboard three-pointer, drew a foul, and completed the four-point play to break the tie and put Puerto Rico ahead 77-73, with 53 seconds on the clock. Shortly after, Arella Guirantes stole the ball from Silvia Vega, and Brianna Jones sank another three-pointer to extend the lead to 80-73 with just 24 seconds left.
Guirantes scored 40 points, hitting all 16 of her free throws, and added 10 rebounds and 4 assists to carry Puerto Rico throughout the game. Meléndez contributed 16 points, and Jones added 9. El Salvador briefly led 73-70, following a free throw by Hillary Martínez with 2:26 left, but they couldn’t score again and faced a 12-0 run in the final two minutes. Destiny Campbell finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds for El Salvador. Martínez was close to a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Emily Tevez added 18 points.
Cuba capitalizes on a strong second quarter
In the other Group A game, Cuba took control in the second quarter, defeating Costa Rica 62-49. Anisleidy Galindo led Cuba with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds, along with 3 steals. Nahomis Vargas added 9 points and 9 rebounds, and Eugenia Fraguela contributed 8 points, with 11 of Cuba’s 12 players scoring.
Cuba’s defense tightened in the second period, launching a 12-0 run to go up 30-17. The Cubans held their opponents scoreless for over seven minutes, winning the quarter 19-9 to take a 37-26 lead at halftime. They maintained this lead comfortably for the rest of the game. In the final quarter, a layup by María Montero extended the lead to 60-41 with 3:14 remaining, securing the victory, though Costa Rica narrowed the score slightly at the end. Ariana Mora scored 15 points for Costa Rica, followed by Jeirlaine Paniagua with 8.
Morton’s composure seals the win in overtime
The Dominican Republic needed overtime to defeat the Virgin Islands 95-88, in what could be a decisive match in Group B. Point guard Yohana Morton secured the win for the Dominicans by hitting two free throws with 46 seconds left in overtime, putting her team up by four (92-88), and then added another pair to seal it at 94-88 with just 26 seconds left.
Morton finished with 19 points, as did Génesis Evangelista (who hit five three-pointers), while Cesarina Capellán posted a double-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. The 21-year-old forward made a crucial three-pointer in overtime, breaking an 85-85 tie with 2:14 remaining and putting her team in control until the end. The Virgin Islands showed resilience by forcing overtime after trailing 81-74 with 3:35 left in the fourth quarter. Imani Tate hit two free throws, and Taylor Dominique Jones scored five consecutive points (three free throws and a layup) to tie the game at 81 with 1:31 left. The Virgin Islands had two chances to take the lead, but Jones missed two free throws, and Tate missed the final shot of regulation. They then ran out of energy in the added five minutes. Anisha George (24 points, 13 rebounds) and Jones (22 points, 10 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for the Virgin Islands. Tate contributed 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Mexico dominates with authority
The host team, Mexico, showed no mercy as they overpowered Guatemala with a decisive 109-31 win. The Mexican team displayed a fluid offense, overwhelming their opponents from all angles, but especially from the perimeter, where they sank 16 three-pointers out of 33 attempts, achieving an impressive 48 percent accuracy. Under head coach Mitchell Thompson, making his debut on the bench, Mexico shot 56 percent from the field (40-71), with 29 assists and only 6 turnovers. Faced with such efficiency, Guatemala struggled and trailed by double digits in every quarter.
Mexico had six players scoring at least 10 points, and all 10 players on the court contributed to the scoreboard. Mayra Gil led the offense with 17 points (including five three-pointers), followed by Karina Esquer (15), Sofia Acuña (14), Dana Soto (13), Angela Rodríguez (13), and Alexia Lagunas (11). Anisa Jeffreis added 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. For Guatemala, Astrid García was the only player to reach double digits, scoring 17 points. The tournament continues this Wednesday. Check out the schedule here.
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