US Women’s Basketball Team Competes at FIBA Americup

The US women’s basketball national team has kicked off its activities this weekend at the FIBA Americup, hosted in Santiago, Chile.

Alongside Team USA and the host nation, Chile, the 10-team roster includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

This marks the 18th edition of the Americup, a traditional 5-on-5 tournament that has been around since 1993. This year, it also serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, Germany.

Americup events are significant for senior women’s national teams. With no breaks during matches, Team USA takes advantage of its deep talent pool by sending young developmental squads, often made up of collegiate players. For instance, in 2023, they snagged a silver medal, bolstered by performances from Angel Reese, Lauren Betts, and Deja Kelly. The previous edition in 2021 saw them clinch gold, thanks to Rhyne Howard, Aliyah Boston, and Elissa Cunane.

This year’s lineup features many standout players from women’s college basketball, including Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame, Flau’jae Johnson from LSU, Olivia Miles from TCU, and Madison Booker from Texas.

Interestingly, Hidalgo and Miles will reunite at this tournament, having previously played together at Notre Dame. It’ll be a nice moment for fans, especially since they haven’t been in the same setting since a preseason game in South Bend.

In Booker’s words, “This is a business trip. What everyone here wants is to win.” That sentiment seems to resonate with the team’s focus on success.

The roster also has some promising sophomores, such as Joyce Edwards from South Carolina, who made headlines recently, and Mikailla Blakes from Vanderbilt, who scored 50 points in a single game as a freshman.

Additionally, there are notable players like Audi Crooks from Iowa, senior Hanna Stuelke, Reagan Beer from Oklahoma, Gianna Kunkens from UCLA, and Grace Vance from Michigan.

While Team USA may lean younger, they’ll be facing a more experienced lineup featuring veterans who have participated in the Olympics and World Cup. This includes Kamilla Cardoso and Damiris Dantas, both seasoned professionals playing for Brazil. On the Canadian team, coached by Nell Fortner, several current college talents are present, including Michigan’s Syra Swords and Delaney Gibb from BYU, along with Yvonne Ejim from Gonzaga, who recently completed her college eligibility.

Kara Lawson, from Duke, is leading Team USA. Having guided her team to an ACC tournament victory and the Elite Eight this past season, Lawson is no stranger to success. With an Olympic gold medal from 2008 and experience as an assistant coach for the 3×3 team, she emerges as a strong candidate for future senior teams at important events like the Olympics.

Supporting her are assistants Jenny Barancik from Oklahoma and Delicha Milton Jones from Old Dominion, who also holds an Olympic gold from 2008.

Lawson recently shared, “We have players with key versatility, which is crucial. They’re all fierce competitors. I really appreciate that quality.” There’s been a strong focus in practice, discussing the challenges of winning on the international stage, especially considering how physical the game can be.

Team USA is in Group B and will kick off its tournament against Chile on June 28. Following that, they’ll face Colombia on June 29, Puerto Rico on June 30, and Mexico on July 2. Fans can catch the games on FIBA’s streaming service. The tournament wraps up on Sunday, July 6.