CIUDAD JUAREZ (Mexico) - The United States and Canada both came out on top in their respective Semi-Final matchups, defeating Puerto Rico and Venezuela, respectively, to advance to the FIBA U16 AmeriCup Final, to be held at the UACJ University Gymnasium in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. This will be the fifth time in nine editions of the tournament, which has been held every two years since 2009, that the Americans and Canadians face off in the championship game. In the most recent edition, Mérida 2023, the U.S. overwhelmed their northern neighbors with a resounding 118–36 win. Here’s how the Semi-Final matchups played out:
USA 106 - 68 PUR
In the first Semi-Final, the United States secured a victory over a competitive Puerto Rico squad, wearing down its opponent with physical dominance as the game progressed. The Americans advanced to the Final for the ninth time, aiming for their ninth gold medal. They have never lost a game in all nine editions of the tournament. Colton Hiller led all scorers with 23 points, including 4 three-pointers. Marcus Spears also stood out with a stat line of 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals.
Puerto Rico, meanwhile, will now compete for third place and a chance at its third bronze medal in tournament history (2017 and 2023). Dwight Gaines once again led the offense with 21 points, going 6 for 11 from beyond the arc.
CAN 78 - 65 VEN
Canada’s sharp shooting from long range punished Venezuela’s zone defense with a total of 12 three-pointers, which proved to be the difference in a game where the Venezuelan side stayed competitive through sheer intensity on both ends of the court.
Canada’s offense found a way to respond after their key player, Isaiah Hamilton, left the game with an injury with 8:25 remaining in the second quarter. In the face of adversity, point guard Kenyon St. Louis stepped up and led all scorers with 18 points (4-of-7 from beyond the arc), along with 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. Jordan Fisher also made a big impact for Canada, contributing 11 points and anchoring the defense with 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 1 steal, and 7 assists. Isaiah Clarke (10 points) delivered the dagger with a clutch three-pointer that extended the lead to 76–65 with just 1:19 left on the clock.
For Venezuela, Kevin Gutiérrez posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, plus 2 steals and 2 blocks. Julio Vásquez added 16 points. Now they will now face Puerto Rico in hopes of reaching the podium for the first time in tournament history.
BRA 62 - 60 ARG
In the classification round for fifth to eighth place, another edition of the South American classic took place, and it was a tightly contested battle. Brazil edged out Argentina in overtime to earn the right to play for fifth place. The lead was shared evenly throughout the game. Brazil controlled the first two quarters, while Argentina took over in the second half. Overtime followed the same pattern as regulation, with both teams struggling to find the basket. With 14 seconds left on the clock, a foul by Benito Lavrut sent Matheus Mellim to the free-throw line, where he kept his composure and sank both shots to give the Brazilian squad the final lead.
Brazil’s standout performer was Fernando Varallo, who recorded a double-double with 10 points and 20 rebounds, along with 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. Lucas Moro also stood out, contributing 17 points and 7 rebounds. For Argentina, which will now play for seventh place, Tomás Sandes led all scorers with 18 points.
DOM 79 - 64 MEX
After falling behind in the first quarter, the Dominican Republic found its rhythm on offense and came from behind to defeat Mexico, securing a spot in the game for fifth place against Brazil. Naziel Hilario and Malvin Durán led the way with 16 and 14 points, respectively, for a Dominican offense that once again posted solid shooting numbers (45% from the field). Point guard Jostin Hernández also stood out for the Caribbean squad with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
Mexico, which will battle Argentina for seventh place, has the top scorers, who were Gael García (16 points) and Luca Balducci (13). Santiago Gaytán (5 points) made his presence known on defense with 9 rebounds, 5 steals, and 1 block.
Top Performers - Semifinals
Fernando Varallo (BRA) PTS: 10 | REB: 20 | AST: 5 | STL: 1 | BLK: 2 | EFF: 30 Kenyon St. Louis (CAN) PTS: 18 | 3PT FG: 4-7 | REB: 5 | AST: 6 | STL: 3 | EFF: 22 Jordan Fisher (CAN) PTS: 11 | REB: 8 | AST: 7 | STL: 1 | BLK: 5 | EFF: 20 Jostin Hernández (PUR) PTS: 9 | FG: 4-6 | REB: 7 | AST: 6 | STL: 3 | EFF: 19 Kevin Gutiérrez (VEN) PTS: 14 | REB: 10 | STL: 2 | BLK: 2 | EFF: 19
Upcoming games
Sunday, June 8: Classification Argentina vs. Mexico - 12:30 (local time) Brazil vs. Dominican Republic - 3:00 p.m. 3rd Place Game Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela - 5:30 p.m. Final United States vs. Canada - 8:00 p.m.
FIBA