THE Cuban women’s basketball team won its last title in the 2005 FIBA American Championship for Women, held in the Dominican province of Hato Mayor, missing the 2009 and 2011 finals in Mato Grosso, Brazil, and Neiva, Colombia, respectively. Thus their victory in the Mexican city of Xalapa was a welcome surprise for Cuban sports fans.

Given the limited competition Cuba’s female players face within the country and the team’s lack of international experience (they did not participate in the 2012 London Olympics or the 2011 Guadalajara Pan Americans), aspiring to win the continental competition in Mexico was no more than a dream. But the young women and Coach Alberto Zabala showed what they were made of and, with a strong dose of spunk, finished first and won themselves a ticket to the 2014 World Championship in Turkey.

In a rigorous test, the Cuban women never gave up and took advantage of every opening their opponents left them, defeating the Canadian and Brazilian teams, both considered favorites not only in the Americas but internationally as well, based on convincing evidence and their winning records.

Despite the odds, the Cuban team dispensed with all rivals, with only one defeat – against Canada – in the qualifying rounds, using a multi-faceted offensive strategy and ironclad defense on the court - in addition to calling upon the physical strength developed through hard work at the team’s Cerro Pelado training camp.

Then, in the final hour, with a minimum margin for error, the Cuban women came through, despite Yamara Amargo’s inopportune injury which prevented her from playing in the semi-final against Brazil. With the stellar center off the court at key moments, other members of the team scored an average of 20 points per game, managing ball control, passing accurately and successfully penetrating opponents’ defense lines.

Up to the task, in particular, were Clenia Noblet and Leydis Oquendo, offensive leaders, while Marlene Cepeda did double duty producing 10 points and 15 rebounds, to play a leading role in securing a ticket for the team to the World Championship, for the first time in years.

With the chance to compete in Turkey secured, the team had a second opportunity to defeat Canada, considered by most observers as the best team competing. With much better shooting than in the first game and with Amargo on the court despite her injury, the team came out strong to establish a convincing 45-30 half-time lead, putting their previous defeat behind them with a final score of 79-71 and paving the way for their subsequent gold medal.

In general, all of the women fulfilled the responsibilities assigned them by Zabala, who rotated players to prevent fatigue, showing confidence in the ability of the entire team, regardless of their lack of experience on this level.

For the record, Marlene Cepeda had the most rebounds - 54 over the course of the tournament – an area in which Noblet also excelled with 41, while Oyanaisis Gelis and 24-year-old Inieidis Casanova added 23 and 20 assists, respectively.