SANTIAGO (Chile) – Kamilla Cardoso and Damiris Dantas combined for 46 points to help Brazil break through in a tough game that remained close for more than three quarters, but ultimately ended in an 84-61 win over Mexico. The South Americans secured a place in the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup Semi-Finals for the tenth consecutive edition and also clinched their ticket to the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments.
Turning point
The game was much closer than the final score suggests. Mexico complicated Brazil with a zone defense and, although the team never led, they tied the game at 43 when Mariana Valenzuela hit a three-pointer with 4:01 left in the third quarter. However, the defending champions responded immediately by going inside to their two stars, Cardoso and Dantas, sparking an 11-0 run (8 points from Kamilla, 3 from Damiris) to pull ahead 54-43 with 1:26 left in the third. In the final quarter, a three-pointer by Bella Nascimento, followed by a bucket under the rim from Cardoso, sealed the deal for the Verde-Amarelas, who extended their lead to 74-58 with 3:17 left on the clock.
Player of the game
Dantas led all scorers with 24 points, adding 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Cardoso, who stepped up when her team needed her most, delivered a dominant double-double with 22 points (9-of-12 shooting) and 16 rebounds—both personal bests in AmeriCup play—along with 2 blocks, earning a game-high efficiency rating of 35. With her 16 rebounds, Cardoso moved into the tournament’s top 10 (since 2003), reaching 166 career boards. Her two blocks raised her career total to 30, just two shy of the leader (since 2023), Canada’s Miranda Ayim. Dantas, meanwhile, now ranks sixth in rebounds with 177 after grabbing six more. Nascimento added 13 points (including 3 three-pointers) for the winning side. For Mexico, Gabriela Jáquez finished with 15 points and 8 rebounds, while Hazel Ramírez chipped in 11 points.
Stats don’t lie
Brazil’s inside game, anchored by Cardoso and Dantas, proved decisive. The South Americans scored 52 of their 84 points in the paint. They also dominated the boards 54-36, including 23 offensive rebounds, and outscored Mexico 25-5 in second-chance points. Three-point shooting remains an area for improvement, as Brazil hit just 6-of-31 from beyond the arc. That limited its offensive flow early against Mexico’s zone defense.
Bottom line
Brazil extended its winning streak at the Women’s AmeriCup to 13 games and will now look to secure at least a fourth consecutive medal. They will face the winner of the Quarter-Final between Puerto Rico and Argentina. Despite the loss, Mexico showed its best version so far in the tournament, strengthening its hopes of competing for one of the last remaining spots in the World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.
They said
“Our strategy worked well as the game progressed— we prepared the actions for the zone, and we were able to execute them. Then we found our rhythm and pushed through to win,” Cardoso said during the post-game press conference.
FIBA