(The following article is courtesy of Puerto Rico’s digital daily, Primera Hora. It has been edited and translated for our readers)
SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — Puerto Rico won the gold medal in the U-20 women’s basketball tournament at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games on Sunday, defeating Mexico 57-44 in the final.
This is the Puerto Rican team’s second Central American title, following their victory in Mayagüez in 2010. With this win, Puerto Rico improved its record in the tournament to two gold, five silver, and four bronze medals (2-5-4). Mexico, meanwhile, fell to a record of 6-6-4.
The gold medal represents a significant leap for Puerto Rico, which had previously won bronze in the Barranquilla 2018 and San Salvador 2023 editions, in addition to silver in Veracruz 2014.
Diann Jackson led the Puerto Rican attack with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Arianis Rivera added 15 points. For Mexico, Ana Zesati was the top scorer with 15 points.
Jackson attributed the victory to Puerto Rico’s physical conditioning and the support of the fans.
“Our focus was on preventing Mexico from running the floor. I knew they would have an advantage in the paint, so I tried to play physically on every possession, and finish plays despite the contact,” she explained.
Jackson also said she enjoyed the atmosphere in the arena, stating, “I love these kinds of venues. I like loud arenas and playing in front of a lot of people. I live for moments like this, and I’m glad that most of the fans were from Puerto Rico.”
Puerto Rican players celebrating their gold medal victory in the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games on Sunday – Image Credit: Carlos Rivera Giusti/GFR Media
For her part, Rivera affirmed that from the beginning of the tournament, the team was clear that the goal was to win gold.
“From day one, we knew what the goal was, and thank God, we were able to achieve it. We knew it was going to be a physical game, but we stayed calm. Defense and rebounding were the key to securing the victory,” she maintained.
Rivera also highlighted the team’s chemistry.
“We have known each other for many years, and that shows on the court. Seeing this arena so full and feeling the fans’ support was something very special,” she said.
In the first quarter, which ended 22-16 in favor of Puerto Rico, Mexico took a three-point lead. However, a three-pointer by Carina de Pool sparked a Puerto Rican comeback, and from that moment on, the Puerto Rican women took control of the game and never relinquished the lead.
In the second quarter, with the score at 26-20, the Puerto Ricans went on a 9-0 run that extended their lead to 15 points. After several minutes without scoring by either team, Jackson made a free throw to make it 36-20 at halftime. The Puerto Rican defense limited Mexico to just four points in the entire second quarter.
Mexico showed signs of a comeback at the start of the third quarter, but the lead Puerto Rico had built before halftime stifled any real threat. Both teams scored just eight points in the quarter, and the Puerto Ricans entered the final period with a 44-28 lead.
In the decisive period, Mexico opened with a 9-2 run, forcing coach Gerardo “Jerry” Batista to call a timeout. The Mexicans maintained the pressure for a while, but Puerto Rico regained control of the game to secure the victory and return to the top of the Central American Games podium.
The Dominican Republic won the bronze medal by defeating Panama 66-53.
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