POSTED BY: Eurobasket News
Jazmin Sepulveda
SEMIFINALS
Puerto Rico - Jamaica 63-44
Puerto Rico advanced to Big Final and will fight against Dominican Republic for the Gold. The host of CAC Games was better than Jamaica in the Semis registering comfortable 63-44 win. Jamaica failed to reach the last stage, but they will have a chance to fight for third place. Their rival will be U.S. Virgin Islands. Jazmine Sepulveda (177-G-85, agency: Merit Sports, college: S.Florida) top-scored for the winners with 15 points and she grabbed 7 rebounds beside that. Pamela Rosado (161-G-86) and Sandra Gracia helped with 13 points each. In the loosing squad, Vanessa Gidden (193-C/F-85, college: Hofstra) collected 12 points and 8 boards. Simone Edwards (194-C-73, college: Iowa) had 11 pts and 9 rebs.
First quarter was pretty leveled, but still it was Puerto Rico who ended it with 12-11. Nothing has changed in Q2 as neither of teams was able to make a bigger lead. It was basket after basket game and Puerto Rico kept plus one until the half time. In the low scoring third quarter Jamaica made 9-10, so teams entered to the final ten minutes tied. Than in the last quarter there was only one team playing on the court and it was Puerto Rico. Jazmine Sepulveda and her teammates destroyed Jamaica with 28-9 for the final 63-44 victory and the Big Final in Mayaguez.
Puerto Rico: Jazmine Sepulveda 15+7 boards, Pamela Rosado 13+5 boards+7 as, Sandra Garcia (189-F-90) 13+5 boards
Jamaica: Vanessa Gidden 12+8 boards, Simone Edwards 11+9 boards
Dominican Republic - U.S. Virgins Islands 92-66
Dominican Republic had an easy job in the Semifinals and will meet Puerto Rico in the battle for Gold. Yohanna Morton (175-G-87) and her teammates blasted ISV 92-66 stretching the winning streak to four and now they hope to end this event with the prefect record. On the other side, ISV will meet Jamaica for third place. Morton was the leading player in victory with 18 points and 5 rebounds. Sugeiry Monsac (186-F/C-81) also was great adding 17 points and 9 boards. Charlenny Frias is another player with 17 points in this victory. ISV got 24 points from Yanique Javois (176-G-85, college: Saint Louis), while Stacey Griffith (185-F/C-89) collected 14 points and 10 boards.
Dominican Republic opened the game with 14-10 lead and outgunned ISV for rest of the time in Q1. They closed this period with 13-7 run for the first double-digit lead. They continued in the same rhythm moving up to plus 17. However, ISV players finally woke up and cut the margin to 11 points until the halftime. Dominican Republic exploded offensively in Q3 scoring 29 points, while they stopped ISV to 20. At that time it was already clear who the winner of this game will be and Dominican Republic had no troubles to keep the comfortable lead.
Friday will be the final day in Mayaguez.
Dominican Republic: Yohanna Morton 18+5 boards, Sugeiry Monsac 17+9 boards, Charlenny Frias 17
U.S. Virgins Islands: Yanique Javois 24, Stacey Griffith 14+10 boards
PLACES 5-8
Mexico - Saint Vincent 143-31
Mexico devastated Saint Vincent in Day Five in Mayaguez. It was the first game in Classification Round for 5th to 8th place. On Friday, Mexico will meet Guatemela in the battle for position number five. Saint Vincent will play against Trinidad and Tobago and will try to avoid the last place at CAC Games. Brisa Silva (168-G-84, college: Oklahoma St.) demonstrated amazing performance in this game. She was simply unstoppable in offense scoring 46 points! Silva also dished out 10 assists beside that. Alexis Castro (184-G/F-86, agency: 22ft, college: Vermont) collected 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Taine Ramirez (173-G-78) added 15 points, 6 boards and 14 assists. In the loosing squad, Sorayah Williams (183-F-84) posted 13 pts.
Mexico was way better team from the beginning. Brisa Silva and her teammates drained 48 points in the first ten minutes, while Saint Vincent was stopped to 9. All after that was just the formality and the only question was how big difference it will be at the end. Mexico made 34-4 in the second quarter and 25-14 in third. They limited Saint Vincent to less than 10 pts in the last frame as well. Actually, Saint Vincent had just 4 pts in these ten minutes, while Mexico nailed 36 for the final 143-31 blowout.
Mexico: Brisa Silva 46+10 as, Alexis Castro 20+11 boards, Taine Ramirez 15+6 boards+14 as
Saint Vincent: Sorayah Williams 13
Trinidad and Tobago - Guatemala 76-81 OT
Guatemala made the first step forward to fifth place in Mayaguez. They outsmarted Trinidad and Tobago 76-81, so they will meet Mexico in the final day. The winner of that game will finish as No.5. Trinidad and Tobago will try to beat Saint Vincent and to avoid the last place at this event. Blanca Amado (179-G/F-79) was the leading player in victory with double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Ligia Del Valle (171-G-87) scored 16 and Cynthia Rivera (177-F-82) added two points less. Sharmion Selman (184-F-82) shined in defeat with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Tiffani Williams (199-C-84, college: N.Carolina A&T) had double-double of 13 points ad 19 rebs, while Leslie-Ann Francois (177-F-82) added 11 pts.
Guatemala took control on Trinidad and Tobago in the first quarter and they created 14-25 lead. Blanca Amado and her teammates were good in the next ten minutes as well, what resulted with 14-point lead at the half time. Trinidad and Tobago was in trouble, but didnt give up. They limited Guatemala to just five points in third quarter cutting the margin to four. Sharmion Selman was unstoppable in offense and she led Trinidad and Tobago with 16-12 in the last frame for 72-72 at the end of regular time. In the extra five minutes Guatemala was better celebrating 76-81 victory.
Trinidad and Tobago: Sharmion Selman 29+11 boards+5 as, Tiffani Williams 13+19 boards, Leslie-Ann Francois 11
Guatemala: Blanca Amado 20+10 boards, Ligia Del Valle 16+5 boards+6 as, Cynthia Rivera 14+5 boards
