SANTIAGO (Chile) – Canada and Argentina delivered one of the most thrilling games in FIBA Women’s AmeriCup history on Sunday in the 3rd Place game at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos. The Canadian squad secured the bronze medal with a game-winning basket from Syla Swords in the final seconds of the second overtime, sealing a 76-75 victory. It was Canada’s ninth bronze medal in tournament history— the most by any country— and its 14th overall medal, second only to Brazil, which already secured its 15th overall.
Turning point
Argentina was prepared to celebrate due to Melisa Gretter’s short jumper and added free throw following a foul on the shot to give her team a 75-74 lead. However, Canada’s head coach, American Nell Fortner, called a timeout to draw up a sideline play. With just 2,8 seconds on the clock, Delaney Gibb executed the inbound perfectly, finding Swords under the rim. She broke free from Julieta Mungo’s defense and finished the layup to flip the score and deliver the win.
TCL player of the game
Swords not only hit the game-winner but also led Canada’s offense with 23 points. She added 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Sami Hill contributed 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Kayla Alexander posted a double-double with 13 points and 13 boards. Yvonne Ejim scored just once but grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds.
With her 13 rebounds, Alexander became the Women’s AmeriCup rebounding leader in the modern era (since 2003), reaching 254 and surpassing Brazil’s Erika De Souza (244). She also holds the record for most offensive rebounds (92) and ranks second in defensive rebounds with 162, just behind De Souza’s 164. For Argentina, Macarena D’urso finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds. Gretter followed with 17, all scored in the fourth quarter and the two overtimes, while Florencia Chagas added 12. Diana Cabrera recorded 12 rebounds and 9 points for the team.
Stats don’t lie
Canada withstood Argentina’s intensity and aggressive defense, which forced 19 turnovers, thanks to its dominance on the glass. The Canadians won the rebounding battle 64–43 (including 18 offensive boards to Argentina’s 6) and outscored them 21–5 in second-chance points. The Canadian bench was also a key factor, producing 36 points (33 of them coming from Swords and Gibb), compared to 18 from Argentina’s reserves.
Bottom line
Canada matched its third-place finish from the 2023 AmeriCup, while Argentina improved from a seventh-place result in that edition in Mexico, climbing three spots. Both teams achieved their initial goal of securing a berth in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournaments. In addition to their nine bronze medals, the Canadians also have three golds and two silvers in their collection. This was the second double-overtime game in Women’s AmeriCup modern history (since 2003), and Argentina has now been involved in both, unfortunately losing each time. The previous one came in 2019 against Colombia (73–71).
They said
“I’m so excited to bring this medal home. It’s been 30 days of hard work. It’s amazing to have this,” said Swords after the game. “The best thing about this team is that we played together.” Forward Yvonne Ejim spoke with FIBA Americas and called Canada’s victory “high level.” Regarding her next goals with the national team, she added: “I’m ready. I know what I have to do. The level of basketball out there is incredible, and I’m ready to seize every opportunity I get.”
FIBA