MEXICO CITY (Centrobasket Women) - Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Jamaica have made it into the Centrobasket Women semi-finals in their bid to qualify for the FIBA Americas Championship.

Cuba and Puerto Rico were the respective winners of Groups A and B, remaining unbeaten in their three games.

Cuba demonstrated why they were favourites for the tournament by destroying Barbados 102-50, El Salvador 109-31 and closed the group stage with a 95-60 triumph over hosts Mexico, who finished second in the group.

Puerto Rico, meanwhile, were made to battle to beat the US Virgin Islands 74-70, but had no problems against Costa Rica, winning 74-44.

In the last match, they again struggled before beating Jamaica 73-68.

Cynthia Valentin is the leading scorer so far in the championship, having averaged 24.3 points for Puerto Rico, while Jamaican Simone Edwards averages 9.3
rebounds per game to lead that statistic.

Cuba have the leading blocker in Yamile Martinez Calderon (1.3 per game)

The Cubans will face Jamaica and Puerto Rico will meet Mexico in the last with the two finalists automatically qualifying for the FIBA Americas Championship.

The third- and fourth-placed teams in each group will play off for the chance to qualify for the Central American and Caribbean Sport Games in Colombia.

Barbados will face Costa Rica and El Salvador meet the US Virgin Islands in those play-offs.

PA Sport