MIAMI (United States) – The most talented young players from across the Americas will step on the court to showcase their skills at the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup 2025, which will take place June 16-22 in Irapuato, Mexico. Several of these players are expected to lead their respective national teams in pursuit of the tournament’s ultimate goal—securing one of the four available berths for the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2026. Let’s take a look at some of the standout players expected to make an impact:
Francisca Canello (Argentina)
The 6-foot (1.82 m) center was a force at the South American U15 Women’s Championship in 2024, playing a key role in securing the bronze medal and the final spot for Argentina at the U16 AmeriCup. She averaged 15.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, with an efficiency rating—the second-best in the tournament. Canello also made the All-Tournament Team.
Avery Arije (Canada)
This will be the second U16 Women's AmeriCup appearance for the 5’11” (1.81 m) point guard, following her participation in the 2023 edition. She also played in the U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2024, arriving at this competition with valuable experience. In last year’s U17 World Cup, despite facing older opponents, she appeared in six of Canada’s seven games and helped the team capture a silver medal.
Keren Bertel (Colombia)
Offense is her calling card. In last year’s South American Championship, she stood out by averaging 17.4 points per game (tied for third place) while shooting an impressive 43% from three-point range (9-for-21). Thanks to her performance, the 5’9” (1.74 m) power forward helped Colombia finish as runners-up and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Aislin Támez (Mexico)
The reigning MVP of the Centrobasket U15 Women’s Championship returns to lead Mexico. Támez, a 5-foot-10 (1.79-meter) forward, posted averages of 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.8 steals in 2024, guiding her team to its second straight title in the competition.
Vivian Grenald (Panama)
Panama secured its first-ever qualification for the U16 Women’s AmeriCup thanks to a powerful performance, led by the 6’0” (1.83 m) power forward. She finished as the tournament’s efficiency leader (28.4) with averages of 20.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 3.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks. She was also selected for the All-Tournament Team. Grenald was also a dominant force for Panama at the Centrobasket U15 Women’s Championship in 2024, where the country hosted and finished as runners-up.
Amahya Hernández (Puerto Rico)
Hernández gained momentum as the Centrobasket U15 tournament progressed. Her strong finish helped Puerto Rico claim third place and secure a spot at the U16 AmeriCup. In the bronze medal game, the 5’6” (1.67 m) forward led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds. She averaged 10.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 steals for the tournament, leading Puerto Rico in efficiency with a 16.0 rating.
Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka (United States)
Wilson-Manyacka was part of Team USA’s gold medal run at the 2024 U17 Women’s World Cup. The 6-foot-1 (1.85-meter) forward appeared in all seven games, averaging 7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game. At the high school level in Maryland, she averaged 18.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.5 steals.
Albanys Ramírez (Venezuela)
Venezuela won its first-ever South American U15 title last year, thanks in large part to Ramírez’s outstanding performance, where she was awarded MVP of the tournament. She averaged 18.8 points per game and posted a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in the final against Colombia. The Venezuelan squad hopes to replicate the success of its men’s team and earn a spot at the U17 World Cup, with much of their hopes resting on the 5’9” (1.74 m) power forward.
FIBA