EDMONTON (2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship) - Argentina has so far been, along with Canada, the most dominating team of the 2015 FIBA Americas Women’s Championship.

In their first two outings, the South Americans have defeated both Ecuador and Virgin Islands by a combined 59 points, due to an effective 53.8% from the field (best of the tournament) and a strong defensive effort for the full 40 minutes of the game.



Veteran Gisela Vega currently leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, but more importantly serves the key role of playing the role of lifesaver, of somebody that can give you scoring within a high percentage attempt.

The center, now 33 years old, is enjoying every minute.

"We have to enjoy our victories, even if we have to take it step by step. The competition gets harder every day, but we are happy and with the expectation of achieving what we all came here to do: win the championship and advance to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games", said Vega.

Argentina is tied with Canada in the lead as the teams that have allowed the least amount of points in the first three games of the competition. Both have allowed only 43 points per games from their opponent.

"When we stay strong defensively, it feeds our offensive game. It gives us the opportunity to stay in games, whether we are shooting the ball well or not. It has been key for us in these first two games", she added.

Argentina’s women national team program has had its up and downs, winning two silver medals in the history of the competition (2009 & 2011), but have recently struggled finishing in fifth place in both the 2013 edition of the FIBA Americas Women’s Championship and the recently concluded 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

"This national team has been working hard for years. There’ve been a lot of great coaches that have been a part of the development of this generation, this group, like Eduardo Pinto who now coaches Ecuador in this tournament. Now we have Cristian Santander and a great coaching staff that make us better every day."

"Results are sometimes on our side, but the Argentina national team program always has something extra that is our heart, the intensity that we bring to the court and here we are, fighting until the end", said the player who debuted with the national team in the 2002 World Championship that was played in China.

Vega sees this 2015 version of the national team as the deepest and most disciplined in her run, a big factor in a group that has shown itself to be open for business in terms of the opportunity it gives to Rio 2016 hopefuls like Argentina.

"We have a deep team with different top scorers each game, but very clear on the roles we play in our big picture. There is always somebody doing the dirty work to free up that top performer and that keeps up playing loose and enjoying this short tournament where everything can happen", added Vega.

"This is harder every day, but we are going to keep at it and hopefully we’ll achieve our Olympic dreams."


FIBA