MANAGUA (Nicaragua) – Brazil earned revenge in the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Final, dethroning Argentina in a defensive battle. The Brazilians prevailed 55-47 on Sunday at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex to capture their fifth gold medal and 12th overall podium finish in the continent’s premier competition.
With Croatian head coach Aleksandar Petrovic at the helm, Brazil stood atop the AmeriCup podium for the first time since 2009. Alongside their five championship trophies, the Verdeamarela also boasts three silver medals and four bronze.
Turning point
Captain Vitor Benite leaned on his experience and drilled a three-pointer to put Brazil ahead by 10 (55-45) with 1:53 remaining. That basket halted an Argentine rally, as their rivals had trimmed the deficit to seven (52-45) after a 7-0 run. Earlier in the fourth quarter, Brazil’s second unit (Alexey Borges, Reynan Santos, and Benite) had sparked a 10-2 run to stretch the lead to 52-38 with 5:01 to go. That cushion allowed them to withstand Argentina’s final push and secure the win.
TCL player of the game
Point guard Yago Santos capped a brilliant individual tournament, leading Brazil with 14 points (3 triples) and 5 assists.
Bruno Caboclo followed with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Gui Deodato added 9, Benite chipped in 8 (2 triples), while Lucas Dias and Georginho De Paula anchored the defense. Dias contributed 8 boards, 3 steals, 1 block, and 5 assists, while De Paula finished with 7 rebounds, 5 blocks (a finals record), and 2 steals. Yago was also named MVP and headlined the All-Star Five alongside teammate Caboclo, Argentina’s Juan Fernández, USA’s Javonte Smart, and Canada’s Kyshawn George. For Argentina, Francisco Cáffaro scored 11 points and José Vildoza added 8.
Stats don’t lie
The game was so tight offensively that Brazil’s 55 points marked the lowest ever by a champion, while the 102 combined points between the two sides were the fewest in any AmeriCup game. Brazil shot just 33 percent from the field, including 9-of-35 from long range (26 percent), slightly better than Argentina, which finished at 30 percent (21-69) and only 4-of-27 from beyond the arc (15 percent). The difference came on defense since Brazil made it tougher for their rivals. Out of Argentina’s 15 turnovers, 9 came off steals. Brazil also recorded 7 blocks (five by De Paula). Those plays turned into a 12-7 edge in points off turnovers and a 13-3 advantage in fast-break points. Argentina only went to the free throw line twice, making just one shot, tying the fewest attempts and makes in any AmeriCup game since 2003.
Bottom line
With the victory, Brazil improved its head-to-head record against Argentina at the AmeriCup to 13-9, though Argentina still leads the all-time rivalry. Two of Brazil’s five titles have now come against their South American nemesis (2005 and 2025). Argentina, meanwhile, collected its seventh silver medal and now totals 15 podium finishes (the most in history), including three championships and five bronzes.
They said
Coach Petrovic praised his team’s defensive execution after the win: “Our goal for today’s game was to shut down (José) Vildoza, (Gonzalo) Corbalán, and (Nicolás) Brussino and we did it. They had no chance. Our defense was exceptional,” said the coach. “I’ve always told the team that offense can win you a single game, but to win the title, you have to defend. I’m very happy because we did that, we managed to switch our mindset.” AmeriCup MVP Yago said that the comeback victory against the United States in the semi-finals gave the team great confidence heading into the final against Argentina. “For me, we had already been champions in yesterday’s game. Regardless of how today turned out, I didn’t see us losing because of everything we achieved yesterday and the way we were playing— how united we were,” said the 26-year-old guard. “We need to look at everything each player did here and feel proud of winning a title. And on top of that, against Argentina, which makes it even better— especially in a tournament we had lost before… So yes, we have to celebrate; everyone has to feel proud of what they did. And we have to think about the next steps, because that’s what we want— to put Brazil higher and higher at the top,” he concluded.
Final standings
1. Brazil 2. Argentina 3. United States 4. Canada 5. Dominican Republic 6. Puerto Rico 7. Uruguay 8. Colombia 9. Venezuela 10. Nicaragua 11. Bahamas 12. Panama
FIBA