Argentina Downs Mexico, Qualifies For 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship For Women

Colorado Springs, Colo. - June 27, 2010

Rocio Diaz scored a game-high 19 points, leading Argentina (3-2) to an especially important fifth-place finish in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women.

Melisa Gretter and Diana Cabrera each added 10 points to help Argentina beat Mexico (2-3), 64-51, in the tournament's fifth-place game on June 27 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

As the U18 Championship's fifth place finisher, Argentina qualifies for the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship in Chile.

"We're very happy for the qualification," Argentina coach Eduardo Pinto said. "We wanted to be in the top four, but it shows that Canada, Brazil and Argentina, we're at the same level."

The top four finishers from the U18 Championship, plus Chile as the host nation, earn spots in the U19 Worlds. Since Chile (2-2), which plays Canada (3-1) for the bronze medal today at 3:30 p.m. (all times MDT), finished in the top four but already qualified as the host country, Argentina earned the tournament's fourth berth for next summer.

"We want to play better,' Pinto said. 'We have good defense, but we have to improve our attack for the World Championship."