SAN JUAN (2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship) - Argentina have split their opening two games in the quadrangular warm-up tournament currently being staged in Puerto Rico.

Cristian Santander's team, which is getting ready for the Pan American Games (16-20 July) in Toronto, Canada, before turning their full attention to the FIBA Americas Women's Championship (9-16 August) in Edmonton, got their tournament off to a flying start with a 61-56 triumph over Cuba.

The team got a shot in the arm from Melisa Gretter, a 22-year-old who has been in the senior team since 2011.

Gretter hadn't been training with the team because of her club commitments.

The Union Florida point guard recently led Union Florida to the inaugural SuperLiga title and scooped MVP honors in the Final.

Her performances for her club raised a lot of eyebrows in the country, including those of former men's national team coach Julio Lamas.

Gretter was one of the best players on the floor against Cuba.

She had 10 points and handed out four assists while Ornella Santana poured in 11 points and collected seven rebounds.

The victory was a confidence booster for the Argentina team because Cuba won the FIBA Americas Women's Championship in 2013 and played at last year's FIBA Women's World Championship.

Santander's team was slow out of the gate in their next clash with Puerto Rico, however, and it cost them.

The visitors dug themselves an early 20-8 hole and had to play catch-up for the remainder of the contest.

They ended up falling, 66-62.

Santander's team has one more friendly against the Dominican Republic before leaving for the United States to conclude their preparations.

At the FIBA Americas Women's Championship, which is to be held 9-16 August, Argentina will play in Group B with the Virgin Islands, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil.

The winners of the event will clinch a spot in the Rio de Janeiro Games while the teams that come in second, third and fourth will be invited to the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

FIBA