The End of the Chapter

FIBA Americas Championship 

 

After a year of anticipation, we finally competed in the FIBA Americas Championship, where 1st place would qualify for the Olympics, and 2nd-5th would classify for another Olympic qualifying tournament. The tournament was split into two groups of 5 countries. We were in Group A, along with the Dominican Republic, Canada, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. We opened the tournament against the Dominican Republic. It was a strong and dominating start for us. For the first time this summer, I witnessed all 12 of us

Friends and family were the BEST fan crew, and they were highlighted
by the media each game!

play with enthusiasm for all 40 minutes (the length of a game). We ended up winning the game by 32 points. We couldn’t have asked for a better start.

With a dominating performance out of the gates, we had great momentum going into game 2 against Canada. The Saville Community Sports Centre was filled with the home team fans. Excitement was building for tip off. Even though Canada was ranked 5th in the world, had recently won the Pan Am Games, and was the favorite to win the tournament (which they did), we came ready to compete and make the most of the opportunity to play

Team huddle after our 88-56 win over the Dominican Republic

against a top team. But less than a minute into the game, our tournament run took a turn for the worst. Ziomara, our 6'4" super star, had to sub out because of a back injury. Ziomara was arguably the best post of the tournament, and she is the best post player I have ever played with or against. On offense she has quick moves, consistently finishes, and has a great outside shot. On defense she is a beast on the boards and blocks or intimidates players that drive to the hoop. Stats don't lie--her 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks a game is a rock our team relies on, and created very big shoes to fill without her on the court. Also, when you look at the age of our

Thank you to my college friends, Kaley and Kat,
for coming to cheer me on!!

top players and exclude Ziomara and myself (both 26), the average is about 19. Collectively we are a young team! With Ziomara out and our morale shaken, Canada controlled the game. They passed through our defense, nailed open shots, and owned the glass on offense and defense. The final score was 93-36.

In our next game against Cuba, the team morale was mixed. Some believed we could win, and some didn’t. We started strong, and we were down by 7 at half. But a 9 and 11 point difference in the 3rd and 4th quarters allowed Cuba to pull away and secure a 88-61 win.

Despite loses against Canada and Cuba, we were still in the hunt to finish 3rd in our pool, but needed to defeat Puerto Rico in our last pool play game. A win over Puerto Rico would have meant a spot in the 5th place game for the tournament against the 3rd place team from the other pool (Venezuela, a team we have historically beaten). We started strong, and were within 5 at halftime. But as a deja vous to the Cuba game, in the 3rd quarter we lost steam and Puerto Rico got hot from the 3-point line, scoring 31 points to our 19. The final score of 92-66 reflected a relentless team effort by Puerto Rico.

Game Highlight Videos

• Dominican Republic
• Canada
• Cuba
• Puerto Rico (best personal game)

Reflecting on the Journey

*Warning, my true colors are in the text below. If you were looking for purely a basketball update, you should stop here. If you’re looking for encouragement, keep reading!

Losing to Puerto Rico and ending our dreams of qualifying for Rio was a tough pill to swallow. I gave everything I had until the final buzzer. The past year of my life was dedicated to winning these four games. I did countless early morning and late evening workouts by myself, drove to and from Denver to play pick-up, said no to alcohol, desserts, and unhealthy food, sacrificed time and fun with my husband and friends, paid for bi-weekly active release therapy, and pulled back from the full-time job I love. All this made the disappointment even deeper. A quote above the water fountain in the high school gym where I coach says: “The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender.” It was so hard to surrender the dream of qualifying for the Olympics, and many tears were shed. I put my heart on the line like I never have before in sports.

What made it even harder is I confidently believe at full-strength with Ziomara we would have at least qualified for one of the 4 spots (2nd-5th at this tournament) to go to the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament next summer (where 5 out of the 12 countries will earn the final spots for Rio), if not medaled at this tournament. BUT, I also believe with all my heart and soul that when things don’t turn out as we hope and we face profound disappointed, we can always come back to God’s foundation: His plan rocks, and He has something even better in store. He works for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I’m not just trying to paint a rosy picture and be optimistic. It’s honestly what I believe, and where I find unexplainable rest and joy. I’ve seen this truth in action in my life, and in the lives of others. It is through the hardest situations in life where we are then able to see God’s goodness and sovereignty like never before. As an athlete, it’s hard to imagine what could be greater than being an Olympian. However, my core identity is not an athlete; it’s a redeemed daughter of Jesus. The God I serve is beyond my imagination (Isaiah 55:8-9 & Proverbs 3:5). This opportunity itself was beyond my understanding and was not in my plans! As I’ve walked through this season, I can already see some of its fruit. There have been many situations where I can see God using the struggles and joys to encourage and relate to others, especially as a basketball coach and mentor with teens. As crazy as it sounds, coaching and mentoring teens sparks a fire in my soul more than playing! I’m so pumped to love this hurting world better because of this experience!!

Before the tournament and before each game, I promised to give my best, never quit, and release the outcomes to God. And that’s the Rock I stand on. Olympian or not, God continues to paint a picture each day, using different gifts and opportunities as colors. No one can understand when and why he uses certain paints, brushes, and strokes. But if someone greater than Picasso is given control to paint your picture, get excited for the masterpiece that will be unveiled at just the right time.

Lastly, through this journey I hope you can hear this: Believe God’s voice above anyone else’s. It doesn’t get old for me; I was repeatedly told by doctors I would not be able to play competitive basketball again. God did a miracle in my knee, He opened the doors, He guided me, He made it happen. No matter what others say, God has the final word. If God has planted something in your heart, don’t stop believing, no matter what you’re going through!

So with that, I make my last entry to this blog for now. Thank you for reading, following, and cheering this summer! I hope this adventure has blessed you.

For His glory,

#15

What time is it?? GAME TIME!!

Information and updates on the tournament are available on this website: http://fibaamericas.com/can2015/en/

Live games should be available at: http://www.livebasketball.tv/

I've heard the games may be available on Direct TV Sports, but that's all the details I know for TV!

Game 1 Aug 9th: vs. Dominican Republic 1pm (all times are Mountain Standard Time)
Game 2 Aug 10th: vs. Canada 6:30pm
Game 3 Aug 12th: vs. Cuba 1pm
Game 4 Aug 13th: vs. Puerto Rico 3:15pm

Saturday Aug 15th: Semi-final games and 5th place game (TBD)
Sunday Aug 16th: Gold medal and Bronze medal games (TBD)

The official ball of the tournament. The size of the international ball we play with is 28.5 inches in circumference, while the ball I used in high school & college was a 27.5 inch ball. 

I wrote Zechariah 4:6 on my game shoes, "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." From the  beginning, this opportunity has been led by God. I'm relying on Him to accomplish His purposes and do only what He can do!

My pump up song: "Til the Day I Die" (yes, TobyMac again!) 

I can't stop, no I can't quit

It's in my heart, yeah I'm all in

I'll lay it all on the line, Til the day I die

It's Your name I'll glorify

A Reminder of Why I'm Here: Article in La Tercera (Open in Google and a translation option should pop-up). Thank you Diego for the article and interview!

Article in La Tercera about playing to make history for Chile

Final Prep This Week

In the last week of training, we stayed at Red Deer College an hour south of Edmonton. We scrimmaged Argentina and barely lost by 3 points. Even though it was hard to lose against our rival in scrimmage, Argentina has beaten teams in our pool that we need to beat. We are where we need to be. Not to mention, we'd love to get another shot at them them in a semi-final or final game!

We scrimmaged our hosts at Red Deer College

What the team looks like when we get wifi access lol

View of Toronto, our second connecting city, on our way to Edmonton

There was some confusion having to go through immigration and customs in both the US and Canada on our way here, and a group was left behind with everyone's bags between immigration and customs

Canada here we come!

Exhibition Games in Brazil

In our 2 exhibition games vs. Brazil, we played the best defense we've ever played, even though the scoreboard did not reflect that. In game 1 we lost 110-74 and game 2 we lost 97-67. In the first game, Brazil shot lights out. The Brazilian head coach commented game 1 was the best game Brazil has played in 2 years, and he commended Chile's progress as a competitive basketball program. Brazil was equipped with 2 key starters that did not compete in the Pan American games in July. As a team, they have a solid bench that maintains their team's intensity and level of play. They are the favorite in Group B (we are in Group A) at the FIBA Americas Championship.

The good news is as a team we progressed by playing the best competition south of the US. Coach Richi was very happy with our growth, and believes we are on track for final preparations before our first game versus the Dominican Republic on August 9th.

Watching game film really helped us improve our defense

Next Stop, Edmonton Canada!

It's almost that time to compete in CANADA!! We have been dreaming about this tournament for about a year, and now it's almost time to take the stage!
Even though it will be our toughest game in pool play, I'm excited to play against the home team. The head coach for Canada mentioned, “We want every Canada game sold out.” I'm excited to compete in games that count, and experience more international basketball!
It's quite a trek to Edmonton from São Paulo. Last night we flew 10 hours to New York City, which is where we are currently for a 5 hour layover. Our next flight is an hour to Toronto, with a couple hour layover before a 4 hour flight to Edmonton. From one side of the world to another!

FIBA Americas Championship Links

Game Schedule (http://fibaamericas.com/can2015/en/calendario.asp?w=1). Also see image below.

Watching games live online (http://www.livebasketball.tv/). Should be available on game day.

Tournament website (http://fibaamericas.com/can2015/en/)

Article on FIBA website announcing 12 players that will suit up for Chile (http://fibaamericas.com/can2015/en/not2.asp?r=B963299AF9DE4B178EBDA0FAD2E40FF9)

Training in Brazil

Departing Santiago Saturday morning

It was an early departure out of Santiago as we headed out for our final training sessions before Canada. From our gate we rode a bus that took us to our plane and we climbed the stairs to the door. As we took off, the plane rose above the Santiago smog and we saw a beautiful view of the Andes. As we turned toward Brazil, a pre-recorded message warned us that we were about to cross the Andes and to be seated and buckled up. I've never heard a message like this crossing the Rockies, but I guess there's more turbulence over this 20,000+ ft. mountain range!

Andes and smog in Santiago

Drinking fountains in the Sao Paolo airport offered room
temperature water or cold water

Four hours later, we arrived in Sao Paolo. Icaro Ferrarini, an Assistant Manager for Brazilian basketball, picked us up at the airport with a large bus and we rode 5 hours north to São Sebastião do Paraíso.

Scrimmage with Brazil

We scrimmaged Brazil today, and played very well as a team. We had solid defense. Pancha (#8) had a great game and seemed to find her inside and outside game. Thiare (#4) had some solid minutes as point guard to give Sendy (#6) a breather. We kept score but we did not have refs. After 4 quarters we were within a few points, which is good sign! Tomorrow and Thursday we will play exhibition games with refs.

The gym where we are training this week

Outside the training center

We are eating and practicing at Arena Olimpica. The food is AWESOME! The meat is very flavorful and the veggies are crisp. Fresh squeezed orange juice and is made for us each meal. There are 4 meals a day here: breakfast, lunch, tea time, and dinner. Breakfast and tea time have identical food, mainly consisting of bread, cheese, and ham!

Fresh veggies, chicken, and pasta for lunch/dinner

Every culture has it's superstitions, and one I've learned from my teammates is not to hand the salt to someone, but rather set it on the table and then have the person you are passing it to pick it up.

Breakfast & tea time: Bread, cheese, ham, apples, bananas, orange juice, and coffee.

São Sebastião do Paraíso

So where are we in Brazil? About 5 hours straight north of Sao Paolo in a town of ~65,000 people called São Sebastião do Paraíso. According to Wikipedia, "The city and surrounding area are famous for the growing of high-quality coffee" and "it also ranks high in the country for its quality of life." When we arrived the first night we were told it was perfectly safe to wander the town--I was surprised! But it does seem safe and peaceful here.

Where we are in Brazil. Though it looks close to the ocean, we are 5 hours away!

Oddly enough, it's the same time as is was Chile. However there's light much earlier, which makes getting up a lot easier! The sun comes up here at about 6:45am, and sets at 6pm. We are also much farther north/closer to the equator, so right now that means more total sunlight during the day.

Getting to Know the Town

Stop lights and crosswalks have countdowns for green and red lights

Cool public phone

Lots of different fruits and veggies that we don't have in the US!

Main church in town

Inside the church

We found some acai sorbet/ice cream and added lots of fresh toppings. The acai berry is an inch-long, reddish-purple fruit that comes from the acai palm tree, which is native to Central and South America.

Angella and I went to check out a neat cave and waterfall

Gruta e Cachoeira do Itambe

"When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur...seek the small improvement one day at a time. That's the only way it happens--and when it happens, it lasts."
-John Wooden

Until Next Time Chile!

Hasta Luego Chile!

Time here has flown, I can't believe it's already time to head to Brazil and Canada! Though I'm so excited for the next few weeks (and to be in Brazil for the first time in my life), I am going to miss Chile, and I don't know when I'll be back. I'm going to miss being with friends and family I don't see often (and being taken out to eat at fantastic restaurants haha!). I'm going to miss our fans and the awesome support! I'm going to miss empanadas and raspberry juice!! I will carry the memories and people of this place in my heart as we go represent in Canada.

At many red lights young people attempt to entertain traffic in various ways,
hoping to make some $. Some are pretty talented!

A young couple dressed up and danced "La Cueca," the traditional
dance of Chile, outside the training center

The Olympic pool and stadium at the training center

They take pregnant parking/seating/lines here seriously! This is parking at a mall.
No, I'm not giving any hints, it just stands out as something different from the US :)
And though it might look the the English word for "embarrassed," embarazada is the Spanish word for pregnant.

Team Changes Heading to Canada

We have a couple changes in the 12 players that are heading to Canada from the 12 we had in Miami: Isabel and Nisse won't be able to go, so Jenifer Fuentes Carrasco and Thiare Garcia Gutierrez are coming. Jenifer is 19, has been on the national team for 5 years, and plays forward. Thiare is 15 years old, has been on the national team for a couple years, and plays point guard.

#11 Jenifer Fuentes Carrasco, Forward

#4 Thiare Garcia Gutierrez, Point Guard

Video and Pictures From Our 4th Game in Valparaiso 

Highlights from the game in Valparaiso

Team in Valparaiso. We weren't told the photo was being taken, so this pic is a little candid!