Team Profile: Playing at home, Brazil aims to return to the world stage

BELEM (Brazil) – After winning the South American Championships 2022 and the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2023, Brazil hopes to successfully take the last step toward the 2024 Olympic Games.

The South American giants will look to return to the Olympic scene after not qualifying in 2020, the first time they missed out since 1992.

 

 

The Roster

Kamilla Soares Cardoso, Damiris Dantas and Taina Paixão lead the loaded 15-woman squad picked by head coach José Neto and the team will be at full strength.

Soares Cardoso was named MVP of the 2023 AmeriCup, while Dantas joined her in the all-tournament team. Veterans Erika Souza and Isabela Ramona are available once again.

During the training camp, they will also be joined by 3 players from the U17 Brazilian National Team: Micaela Cavalcanti, Sther Ubaka and Alexia Dagba.

Kamilla Soares Cardoso

The Question

Despite their dominance at the continental level, Brazil has struggled in recent years to reach the world stage, not only failing to qualify to the Olympics in 2020, but also the 2018 and 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cups.

If one removed the 2016 Olympics, where they got an automatic berth due to being the host nation, Brazil hasn’t qualified to a top international tournament since the World Cup 2014.

A lot has changed since then, with only Debora Costa, Souza, Paixão, Ramona and Dantas left from that squad. This tournament is the challenge Brazil need to test their strengh against the best in the world.

The Hope

Kamilla Soares Cardoso is the one named to lead Brazil back to the promised land.

The 21-year-old center was outstanding during the 2023 AmeriCup, finishing with 10.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists. She had a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in the gold medal game against the United States.

She currently plays at the college basketball level with the University of South Carolina, where she won the NCAA title in 2022 with the Gamecocks. After coming off the bench behind future No. 1 overall draft pick Aliyah Boston, Soares Cardoso is averaging 13.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season in college.

The Fear

Despite going unbeaten during their AmeriCup run (7-0), Brazil struggled to beat Argentina in the group phase and Puerto Rico in the semifinals.

And while their offensive potential is self-evident (they led the tournament in field goal percentage, three-point percentage and assists, and had the fewest turnovers per game), their issues on the boards (they finished behind Canada, USA and Cuba) can be a cause for concern.

Brazil also lost to both Serbia and Germany at the FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament 2022 in Belgrade, so they’ll need to find a way to get past some familiar foes.

BRAZIL IN THE LAST 10 FIBA EVENTS

YEAR	EVENT	LOCATION	ACHIEVEMENT
2023	FIBA Women's AmeriCup	Leon (MEX)	1st
2022	FIBA South American Women's Championship	San Luis (ARG)	5th
2022	FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament	Belgrade (SRB)	Group Phase
2021	FIBA Women's AmeriCup	San Juan (PUR)	3rd
2020	FIBA Women's World Cup Qualifying Tournament	Bourges (FRA)	Group Phase
2019	FIBA Women's Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament Americas	Bahia Bianca (ARG)	1st
2019	FIBA Women's AmeriCup	San Juan (PUR)	3rd
2018	FIBA South American Women's Championship	Tunja (COL)	2nd
2017	FIBA Women's AmeriCup	Buenos Aires (ARG)	4th
2016	FIBA South American Women's Championship	Barquisieto (VEN)	1st

 

The poll

FIBA