SIMONE Edwards and Nicole Louden drove Jamaica to their second win of the Centrobasket Championships for Women at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico yesterday.

Edwards, 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Louden, 21 points, ensured that Jamaica defeated Mexico 78-73 to top Group A with four points. Vanessa Gidden, who chipped in with 13 points, was strong off the board with 10 rebounds.

Erika Lozada had 19 points for the Mexicans, supported by Alexis Estrada, 17 points, and Abril Alvarez, 16 points.

Jamaica moved ahead in the first quarter 20-14, but the Mexicans rallied in the second quarter for a half-time lead 38-36. But it was not until 5:02 in the third quarter, with the scored tied at 48-48, that Jamaica separated themselves from the North Americans.

Edwards, Gidden, and crucial three-pointers from Christina Mitchell and Tarita Gordon put Jamaica up 60-53 over the fighting Mexicans.

Jamaica never gave up their advantage in the last quarter and Gordon’s second three-pointer early in the fourth quarter pushed Jamaica 63-53. The Mexicans, however, managed to close the gap 68-65 at 4:07 and 72-71 at 1 minute 24 seconds remaining.

But a Gidden three-pointer with just 49 seconds left unbalanced Mexico and the Jamaicans held on for their second consecutive victory.

Meanwhile, the Jamaican men missed out on a semi-final place in the Centrobasket Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on goal average to Panama, as both teams ended the preliminary round with six points.

The men will therefore miss out on next year’s Pre-Olympic FIBA Americas Championships and the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. But they will participate in the upcoming Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico.

Jamaica’s women will play the Dominican Republic this afternoon at 3:00 Jamaica time.