Sunday, october 22nd, 2023.- In an exciting match, with the loud support of the crowd that gathered at the Estadio Español, the Chilean female 3x3 basketball team defeated the powerful Brazil team 18-14 and secured a spot in the semifinals of Santiago 2023.
Earlier in the day, during the group stage, the Chilean team first defeated El Salvador 21-4, and then maintained their level to surprise Brazil, one of the strong teams in the competition.
Amid the excitement, Javiera Novión, a key player for Chile, emphasized the achievement. "We are very happy; we achieved our goal. We knew it wouldn't be easy against Brazil, but we played a good defensive game, managed to block them, and control the boards. We didn't complicate things with fouls, the hoop opened for us, and they couldn't stop Ziomara Morrison. I'm super happy to advance to the semifinals. Now we have to start from scratch, and we know it depends only on us. We are happy, and we want to enjoy this moment," she commented.
The experienced Ziomara Morrison added, "We are happy; we lived it intensely from the first minute. It makes me happy that we are showing everything we've done. Hopefully, people will start to believe that we can really go far."
As Ziomara Morrison hadn't played for Chile at home in many years, she was particularly moved by the support of the crowd. "The people had a significant influence. I want to thank everyone who came to support; it is truly felt. It has been ten years since I played for Chile at home, and I am very happy to see all my friends and family on the court," said the local star.
In a competition that added points to the Olympic ranking, Morrison expressed the new expectations of the Chilean team. "We will prepare the match against the United States as best as possible. Tomorrow we will go all out. The goal is to compete for a medal, and we will give everything to achieve it," she concluded.
Written by Marcelo López- Manfred Schwager; translated by Andrés Castro / Photosport.
Photo: Alex Diaz / Santiago 2023 via Photosport
