Beavers Gibson, Puerto Rico Take Silver at Centrobasket

By virtue of Puerto Rico’s second-place finish, it qualified for both the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship for Women.

Oregon State senior guard Ali Gibson took home silver as a member of the Puerto Rican National Team at the recently completed FIBA Americas Centrobasket Femenino, which wrapped up on Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico. Photo Courtesy: OSU Athletics

(CORVALLIS, Ore. ) - Oregon State senior guard Ali Gibson took home silver as a member of the Puerto Rican National Team at the recently completed FIBA Americas Centrobasket Femenino, which wrapped up on Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico.

In five games, Gibson was Puerto Rico’s third-leading scorer, averaging 8.4 points while also contributing 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals. She shot nearly 40 percent from the field and was one of the tournament’s best from behind the arc, finishing fifth in 3-pointers made per game (1.6) and sixth in 3-point percentage (36.4).

Gibson had her best outing in last Wednesday’s 92-27 victory over Costa Rica, putting up totals of 14 points, three rebounds and four steals. She also scored 11 in Puerto Rico’s 68-51 semifinal win over the Virgin Islands on Friday.

Puerto Rico swept through the preliminary round, defeating the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Mexico by a combined score of 246-104. It earned a championship berth courtesy of that 17-point win over the Virgin Islands before falling to Cuba in Saturday’s championship, 58-47.

By virtue of Puerto Rico’s second-place finish, it qualified for both the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship for Women and the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.

Gibson is the latest of five Oregon State student-athletes to suit up for a national squad this summer, joining Canadian performers Ruth Hamblin and Jamie Weisner, Gabriella Hanson with Sweden (U20) and Marie Gülich with Germany (U20).

Oregon State, which finished the season ranked 25th in the nation, is coming off a record-setting season in 2013-14. The Beavers went 24-11 overall, 13-5 in the Pac-12, won their first NCAA Tournament game since 1995 and returns 95 percent of their scoring and 96 percent of their rebounds this fall.

Source: Oregon State University Athletics