Wednesday, October 25, 2023.- Cuba began their participation in female's basketball at the 2023 Pan American Games with a clear 86-74 triumph over Argentina.

In a match within Group A, alongside Chile and Puerto Rico, who were set to face each other later, the Cuban team took the lead from the middle of the first quarter and managed to maintain it until the end.

The Argentine team attempted a comeback in the third quarter but couldn't narrow the gap.

The top scorer for the Cuban team was María Montero with 17 points, followed by Anisleidy Galindo with 16 and Melissa Despaigne with 11 points. In Argentina, the leading scorer was Camila Suárez with 23 points.

"It was a good victory. We have to keep it up in the upcoming games to secure a medal. It's a super good and important experience for us," said Cuban player Suanly Tani, who contributed 8 points.

On Thursday, Argentina will face Chile at 8:00 p.m. local time, and María Jourdheuil commented, "We will focus on reviewing what didn't go well against Cuba and observing how Chile plays to try to do our best."

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals on Saturday, October 28, while the four teams finishing third and fourth will compete for positions between fifth and eighth. The final is scheduled for Sunday, October 29.

Marcelo López-Anaís Farías, translated by Paulette Bertín / Santiago 2023 via Photosport
Photo: Luis Hidalgo / Santiago 2023 via Photosport