Argentina are champions of the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2027 South American Qualifier, closing out the tournament on home soil with a 53-44 win over Venezuela in Sunday's final in Zarate. Venezuela controlled the opening stretch of the game, building a lead as large as seven points midway through the second quarter, but Argentina answered with a 19-5 run spanning the back half of that period 12 of it coming unanswered to seize control for good and never let it go.
Melisa Gretter (166-PG-1993) delivered the performance of the final, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and her three-pointer with 2:43 left in the second quarter was the shot that flipped the game in Argentina's favor. Diana Cabrera (186-C-1993) nearly posted a double-double of her own with 10 points and nine rebounds on a perfect 4-of-4 from the line, and Agostina Burani (186-F/C-1991) added seven points, seven rebounds and two made threes. Genesis Rivera (180-G/F-1996, college: UMass) led Venezuela with 11 points, but Venezuela never found an answer once Argentina's defense tightened in the second quarter, managing just one field goal during the decisive stretch that turned the game.
Brazil claimed the bronze medal a day earlier, bouncing back from its semifinal loss with a 61-48 win over Colombia. Aaliyah Guyton (168-PG-2006) led the way with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Ayla McDowell (185-G-2007) added nine off the bench in a performance built on a first-half surge Brazil trailed by eight in the first quarter before ripping off a 15-0 run to seize control heading into the second. Jenifer Munoz (170-F-1991) led Colombia with 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists, but couldn't prevent the Colombians from finishing fourth.
The result gives Argentina the South American Qualifier title and a place in the next FIBA Women's AmeriCup, capping a tournament run played entirely in front of a home crowd in Zarate.