SANTIAGO (Chile) – Gabriela Jáquez and Mariana Valenzuela combined for 46 of Mexico’s 76 total points in a 76-59 victory over Chile (0-2) in their opening game of the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025, held at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos in Santiago.
The Mexican squad took a few minutes to find their rhythm in the early going, but quickly found their offensive spark in Jáquez, who scored the team’s first 8 points and forced the Chilean defense to double-team her. That opened the door for Valenzuela to shine inside the paint. Together— along with key support from Anisa Jeffries (13 points) and Hazel Ramírez (11)— they secured Mexico’s first win of the tournament.
Turning point
Mexico closed the first half with better rhythm and fluidity, taking the second quarter 27-17 and building a cushion it would maintain the rest of the way. Every time the Tricolor tried to pull away, Chile responded with a timely three-pointer, but in the final 4:30 of the game, Mexico held the hosts to just three points and pulled away for good.
Player of the game
Valenzuela was unstoppable, finishing with 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Jáquez followed closely with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists, despite facing intense defensive pressure throughout the game.
For Chile, Jovanka Ljubetic put on a show with 24 points, draining 6 three-pointers in 12 attempts. Bárbara Cousiño also had a strong outing with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists.
Stats don’t lie
Mexico dominated nearly every statistical category. The team out-rebounded Chile 42-30, including 13 offensive boards that turned into 14 second-chance points. The Mexicans also controlled the paint, scoring 36 points inside compared to just 14 by Chile, who stayed in the game thanks to its sharp shooting from beyond the arc.
Bottom line
Chile knocked down 11 of 25 three-point attempts (44 percent), setting a new Chilean team record for most triples in a single FIBA Women’s AmeriCup game. The team’s previous best was 10, reached twice before, most recently in 2015 against the Dominican Republic.
They said
Myriam Lara, one of the most experienced players on the Mexican roster, praised the team’s preparation and head coach Desralee Abeyta’s leadership. "It’s been great. The short time that we’ve had with her has been amazing. She has prepared us for exactly this— what you saw— a fight,” said the Mexican center, who is playing in her fourth Women’s AmeriCup. "There has been a lot of adversity in our training camp, and I think we came here ready to show that as a team we can do it all,” Lara added.
FIBA