The young U.S. squad avenged its 2023 loss to Brazil and earns gold medal to secure a direct berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
SANTIAGO (Chile) – The United States prevailed against Brazil, the 2023 defending champions, to reclaim gold in this year’s Final at the Centro de Deportes Colectivos in Santiago, Chile. With a 92-84 victory, the Americans claimed their fifth continental crown and secured a direct ticket to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. With this new championship trophy, the U.S. has now won three of the last four Women’s AmeriCup titles.
Turning point
The U.S. team applied pressure, pushed the pace, and dominated most statistical categories, but it was early in the fourth quarter when the game definitively tilted in their favor. Head coach Kara Lawson’s team opened the final period on an 11-3 run, taking a 76-69 lead with 4:16 remaining. Defense was the key to that surge, as Brazil’s offense stalled and couldn’t recover. Point guard Hannah Hidalgo sealed the win by sinking three free throws in the final 15 seconds, after a three-pointer from Damiris Dantas had brought Brazil within five points (89-84) with 40 seconds left.
TCL player of the game
Mikayla Blakes delivered a performance to remember, scoring 27 points, the most by a U.S. player in the tournament since 2003. She also had 6 rebounds and 2 steals. The 19-year-old wing, who scored in double figures in six of her team’s seven games, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Hidalgo also made a major contribution with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals. She joined Blakes on the All-Star Five, alongside Brazil’s Damiris Dantas and Kamilla Cardoso, and Canada’s Syla Swords. Dantas poured in 35 points in the Final for Brazil, setting a single-game scoring record for the Women’s AmeriCup (since 2003). She also grabbed 8 rebounds, handed out 4 assists, and had 2 steals. Cardoso added 19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, though her playing time was limited due to foul trouble. Point guard Bella Nascimento was Brazil’s breakout star of the tournament. She finished with 24 points, hitting 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Stats don’t lie
Depth was the defining factor for USA. While the Americans stayed fresh thanks to a wide rotation, Brazil ran out of gas down the stretch. The U.S. bench outscored Brazil’s reserves 35–1. The Stars and Stripes were efficient across the board. They outrebounded Brazil 46–35 (including 19 offensive boards), and dominated points in the paint (46–26), fast break points (21–3), and points off turnovers (22–9). Olivia Miles, with her nine assists in the Final, set a new record for most assists in a single Women’s AmeriCup edition with 50. The previous mark of 46 was held by Cuba’s Ineidis Casanova.
Bottom line
With this fifth title, the United States surpassed Cuba (4) and now stands alone as the second-most successful country in Women’s AmeriCup history— just one gold medal shy of Brazil (6), the tournament’s current leader. The U.S. also now holds seven total medals in the event (two silvers). Brazil, meanwhile, earned its 15th overall medal which is the most of any country and its fifth silver. It also owns four bronze medals.
Hidalgo, who previously won gold with the U.S. at the U17 (2022) and U19 (2023) World Cups, couldn’t hide her emotion after claiming her first senior-level title and being named to the All-Star Five. “I think it’s a blessing. This is the second time I’ve been named to the All-Star Five (after the U19 World Cup), and I truly feel fortunate to be in this position, to play for the United States, to represent my country. It’s an honor to be here. I really appreciate this moment,” she told FIBA Americas. Regarding her team’s performance, the point guard added: “We overcame a lot of challenges. We played seven games in about nine days, something like that. So it was tough physically, but our depth was key. We took over in the fourth quarter, and that’s exactly what we needed.” Her backcourt mate Olivia Miles also spoke to FIBA Americas about what it meant for a team made up entirely of college players to face off against a WNBA veteran like Damiris Dantas. “She was incredible. She had like 20 points at halftime. She showed all her experience, her maturity, but, you know, one player can’t do it all for her team,” Miles said. “We stayed steady throughout the game, especially in the fourth quarter. At one point, we had 19-year-olds guarding her. So it was a great learning experience for them. I’m very proud of how they battled. Our bigs were phenomenal in this game. I’m just really proud of this team.”