Gamecocks Take Center Stage at 2025 FIBA AmeriCup with Stars Past, Present, and Future
South Carolina will have a major presence at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup in Santiago, Chile, as three Gamecock standouts—past, present, and future—prepare to hit the international stage.
🇺🇸 Joyce Edwards to Represent Team USA
Rising sophomore Joyce Edwards has been selected to compete with Team USA, continuing a dominant run in international play. Edwards is no stranger to the big stage—she’s already won two gold medals at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup (alongside Chloe Kitts) and the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup, where she was named MVP and earned a spot on the World Cup All-Star Five.
She now aims to claim her third gold medal, anchoring a U.S. squad that, while developmental, is loaded with young talent. The U.S. often sends a younger team to the AmeriCup due to its deep senior national team pool—and, in fact, didn’t regularly participate in the tournament before 2019.
🇧🇷 Ayla McDowell & Kamilla Cardoso Suit Up for Brazil
Joining Edwards in the tournament are two more Gamecocks—incoming freshman Ayla McDowell and former standout Kamilla Cardoso, both of whom will represent Brazil.
McDowell, a 6-foot-2 wing from Houston, is ranked No. 15 in the 2025 class and brings athleticism and international experience to the squad. Though born in the U.S., McDowell is eligible to play for Brazil through her mother. She made her FIBA debut at the 2023 U18 AmeriCup, and also took part in the Nike Hoop Summit in April.
Cardoso, now a WNBA player, returns to the AmeriCup after leading Brazil to a stunning gold medal in 2023, defeating Team USA in the final—a team that featured her then-Gamecock teammate Raven Johnson. Cardoso was named tournament MVP, setting the tone for her dominant final season at South Carolina.
🏆 Tournament Stakes and Structure
The AmeriCup serves as a qualifier for the 2026 FIBA World Cup:
- Winner earns automatic qualification
- Top six teams move on to the World Cup Qualifying Tournaments in March 2026
Brazil enters the competition as the defending champion and leads all nations with 6 golds and 14 total medals. The USA, which won the two previous editions before 2023, is tied for second with 4 golds.
The tournament features 10 national teams split into two groups:
- Group A: Brazil
- Group B: USA
After group play, the top 4 teams from each group advance to the knockout rounds. July 3 will be a rest and seeding day before the quarterfinals begin July 4. The medal games will take place on July 6.
📺 Where to Watch
All games will be streamed live on the FIBA YouTube Channel.
🗓 Team USA Schedule (Group B)
- June 28 vs Chile – 8:25 PM ET
- June 29 vs Colombia – 8:10 PM ET
- June 30 vs Puerto Rico – 8:10 PM ET
- July 2 vs Mexico – 2:10 PM ET
🗓 Team Brazil Schedule (Group A)
- June 28 vs Argentina – 2:10 PM ET
- June 30 vs Canada – 2:10 PM ET
- July 1 vs Dominican Republic – 11:40 AM ET
- July 2 vs El Salvador – 11:40 AM ET
Quarterfinal matchups will be announced after group play concludes.
With Joyce Edwards, Ayla McDowell, and Kamilla Cardoso all taking the court, the Gamecock legacy will shine brightly on the international stage—past, present, and future.
