IRAPUATO (Mexico) - After defeating Mexico and Colombia in the Semi-Finals, the United States and Canada advance to the final round of the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, taking place in Irapuato. This will mark the seventh time—and the fifth in a row—that the North American rivals face off in the gold medal game. The U.S. has won every previous final and will now aim for its eighth title, while Canada will look to reach the top of the podium for just the second time. Colombia and Mexico will compete for the bronze medal, but like the U.S. and Canada, they have already secured spots in the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2026. Here’s how the Semi-Final games unfolded:
CAN 80 - 37 COL
A blistering 31-0 run over the first 15 minutes of the game set the tone early for Canada in the first Semi-Final matchup of the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup. The team cruised past Colombia to earn a spot in its eighth final, including its seventh consecutive one in nine editions of the tournament. Canada held the Colombians scoreless in the first quarter— just the ninth time this has happened in tournament history. The Canadian team relied on the strong performances of Portia Reisen (15 points), Ashley Vande Ven (14), Avery Arije (13), and Emerald Nnani (12), who led an offense that shot 43% from the field.
Colombia missed its first 15 field goal attempts and committed 14 turnovers before Laurent Torres ended the Canadian run with a three-pointer with 5:09 remaining in the second quarter. Torres finished with 7 points, while Sara Murillo added 8. The duo were the top scorers for the Colombians, shooting just 21% from the field overall. Canada will now have the chance to compete for its second gold medal in the tournament; meanwhile, Colombia will seek its first-ever podium finish for the first time in its history.
USA 112 - 50 MEX
The United States will defend its U16 Women’s AmeriCup title for the fifth straight time after overpowering Mexico in the Semi-Finals. The Stars and Stripes once again showed their dominance, especially in the paint, gradually overwhelming the home team with their superior physicality. Ivanna Wilson led the way with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists (efficiency rating of 29), as they set their sights on an eighth gold medal in nine editions of the tournament. Tatianna Griffin also stood out with 15 points.
Mexico's Belén Velázquez scored 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. The team now aims to reach the podium for just the second time in tournament history.
Argentina, Venezuela to play for 5th place
Argentina and Venezuela each came out with victories in the 5-8 classification games and will now face off tomorrow to decide fifth place at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup. In the early game, Argentina comfortably defeated Puerto Rico (64-58) in a contest where they led from start to finish. At one point, the South Americans held a 21-point advantage, though a late push by the Boricuas—helped by Argentina’s player rotations—cut the deficit to just 5 points. Kiara Miró delivered a stellar performance for Argentina, tallying 23 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals, and 1 block, finishing with an efficiency rating of 27.
For Puerto Rico, Lucianna Parrotta and Essence De León stood out with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Later on, Venezuela followed suit by taking down Panama (74-53) in a game where six Venezuelan players scored in double figures. Alexandra Cabezas led the way with 15 points and added 11 rebounds to complete a double-double, along with 6 steals. On the defensive end, Estefani Pérez impressed with 17 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Puerto Rico and Panama will face off in the seventh-place game to kick off Sunday’s action.
Top performers - Semifinals
Ivanna Wilson (USA) PTS: 21 | REB: 7 | AST: 5 | STL: 2 | BLK: 1 | EFF: 29 Kiara Miró (ARG) PTS: 23 | REB: 8 | AST: 2 | STL: 5 | BLK: 1 | EFF: 27 Estefani Pérez (VEN) REB: 17 | AST: 2 | STL: 4 | BLK: 2 | EFF: 21 Ashley Vande Ven (CAN) PTS: 14 | 2PT FG: 4-4 | REB: 3 | AST: 2 | STL: 3 | EFF: 18 Micah Ojo (USA) PTS: 12 | REB: 5 | AST: 2 | STL: 2 | BLK: 1 | EFF: 17
Upcoming games
Sunday, June 21: Classification PAN vs. PUR - 12:30 (local time) VEN vs. ARG - 3:00 p.m. 3rd Place Game MEX vs. COL - 5:30 p.m. Final USA vs. CAN - 8:00 p.m.
FIBA