Brazil defeats New Zealand 56-53 in Guadalajara Olympic basketball pre-qualifier

Brazil clinched its first win in the Women's Olympic Basketball Pre-Qualifying tournament, narrowly defeating New Zealand 56-53 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The victory came after Brazil's opening loss to South Sudan, while New Zealand experienced its first setback after an initial win against Argentina.

The match saw Brazil take an early lead, finishing the first quarter up 12-8, with Aaliyah Guyton and Emanuely Oliveira contributing key points. New Zealand struggled with offensive transitions in the initial period. However, the team rallied in the second quarter, driven by Lauren Whittaker, who dominated the boards and scoring, leveling the game at 22-22 by halftime.

Upon returning from the break, Brazil regained control of the game. Led again by Guyton and supported by Bella Nascimento's accurate shooting, they established a 43-36 lead by the end of the third quarter. Despite a late surge from New Zealand that narrowed the gap to 49-46 in the final period, Nascimento's clutch performance secured the win for Brazil.

Guyton finished as Brazil's top scorer with 18 points, while Nascimento added 10. For New Zealand, Whittaker was the standout player, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Earlier in the day, Argentina defeated South Sudan 64-61, with Julieta Mungo scoring 19 points. Both Brazil and Argentina are in Group A, with all four teams currently holding one win and one loss. The final group stage matches will determine which two teams advance to the semifinals.