Unforgettable AmeriCup Moments: Puerto Rico down Brazil to reach World Cup for first time

MIAMI (Florida) - The countdown to the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2021 is on and as part of the buildup, we're remembering some of the most significant moments in the tournament's history.

As far as Puerto Rico goes, no AmeriCup was as special as the one in 2017, when the country traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and beat Brazil in the Third-Place Game. 

The day the Boricuas made history

The images of Puerto Rico's players celebrating in Buenos Aires on the last day of the FIBA Women's AmeirCup 2017 are extraordinary. They are fixed in the minds of the players, the coaches and the fans.

For the first time since 1995, when they also finished third, the Boricuas had reached the podium. On this occasion, however, they also punched a ticket for the following year's World Cup in Tenerife. The Puerto Rico women had put themselves firmly on the map of international basketball.

Against Brazil, it was going to be a David and Goliath matchup. The South Americans had a superior 5-0 head-to-head record at previous AmeriCups, dating back to their 1997 romp in Sao Paulo, when Brazil rolled to a 136-72 triumph.

Brazil also had a track record of success to envy. They had won the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in 1994 and captured AmeriCup titles in 1997, 2001, 2003, 2009 and 2011.

The 2017 Third-Place Game was close from start to finish. When Allison Gibson drilled a go-ahead three-pointer with 4:02 remaining and then Michelle Gonzalez buried another two minutes later, Puerto Rico had the lead for good. They won, 75-68.

All emotions were on display for Puerto Rico after the final buzzer. There were tears of joy. There was plenty of elation and a lot of hugs, too.

How significant was that win? It filled Puerto Rican women's basketball with self belief, which was evident not only by their show of grit at the World Cup but also at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2020 in Bourges, France, where they earned a first-ever trip to the Olympics, which will be held next year in Tokyo.

FIBA