Puerto Rico demands more respect at women’s FIBA World Cup after eliminating Turkey

BERLIN (AP) — Puerto Rico coach Gerardo Batista feels his team’s achievements at the women’s FIBA World Cup are still not getting the recognition they deserve.

Batista said Monday he told his players that not even the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT believed in them after it failed to recognize that Puerto Rico had qualified for three straight World Cup tournaments and two Olympic Games in between.

“Nobody thinks we deserve to be here,” Batista said after his team came from behind to beat Turkey 75-71 to emerge from a tough group that also included European champion Belgium and Asia Cup champion Australia.

“Not everybody, right, but most of the people,” Batista said. “As I told my team, ’You earn their respect by winning.”

Puerto Rico produced a strong finish with big points from Arella Guirantes (21), Trinity San Antonio (18), and Imani McGee-Stafford (16), to eliminate Turkey in what had been a showdown for survival after both teams lost their opening two games.

Batista, who took over as Puerto Rico coach in 2014, was unable to contain his pride.

“We’re here, you know? And if you face us, you’re supposed to beat us, but we’re gonna go as hard as we can to try to beat you,” he said. “And it’s not about looking good at defeats. It’s trying to win and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Puerto Rico, which reached the quarterfinals at the 2022 World Cup in Sydney, next faces the winner between Italy and China, playing later Monday, in a playoff on Wednesday for a place in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

San Antonio echoed the words of her coach.

“At the end of the day, he said it best in practice, we will never get the respect we deserve unless we earn it,” the point guard said. “So each time we get out there, we’re gonna go out there and we’re going to earn it and we’re gonna to show the world why Puerto Rico belongs."

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Puerto Rico's Brianna Jones reacts during the Women's Basketball World Cup match between Puerto Rico and Belgium in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Puerto Rico's Trinity San Antonio guards Belgium's Maxuella Lisowa-Mbaka during the Women's Basketball World Cup match between Puerto Rico and Belgium in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Belgium's Antonia Delaere guards Puerto Rico's Arella Guirantes during the Women's Basketball World Cup match between Puerto Rico and Belgium in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Belgium's Antonia Delaere guards Puerto Rico's Arella Guirantes during the Women's Basketball World Cup match between Puerto Rico and Belgium in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Puerto Rico's Imani McGee-Stafford scores in fornt of pb13[ during the Women's Basketball World Cup match between Puerto Rico and Belgium in Berlin, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Matt Suhey, a fullback who helped Walter Payton and the Chicago Bears win the 1985 NFL championship, has died. He was 68.

The Bears confirmed Suhey died on Sunday morning. No other details were provided.

Suhey played for Chicago for 10 seasons after he was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 1980 draft. He helped clear the way for Payton to become the NFL's career leading rusher, a record Payton held until Emmitt Smith surpassed his total on Oct. 27, 2002.

Suhey and Payton were close friends. Payton served as the godfather for Suhey's youngest son, Scott.

“Matt watched my dad's back, kind of like being a bodyguard or protector,” Walter's son, Jarrett, said in “A Football Life,” an NFL Network show. "He blocked for him. He took a lot of hits, making sure that my dad would get the glory, and Matt kind of just sat back in the background, very unselfish.”

Suhey was Chicago's second-leading rusher when the Bears went 15-1 during the 1985 regular season, finishing with 471 yards on the ground. Payton rushed for 1,551 yards and nine touchdowns that year.

The 1985 Bears shut out the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs before routing New England 46-10 in the Super Bowl. Suhey scored the first TD against the Patriots on an 11-yard run in the first quarter. He finished with 52 yards on 11 carries, and he also had a 24-yard reception.

The durable Suhey played in 148 regular-season games during his 10 years with the Bears, starting 100. He had 828 carries for 2,946 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also had 260 receptions for 2,113 yards and five TDs.

Suhey, a Pennsylvania native, played his college ball for Penn State, following in the footsteps of his father, Steve, a guard who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Matt Suhey rushed for 2,818 yards and 26 touchdowns on 633 carries for the Nittany Lions. He also caught 39 passes for 328 yards and two TDs.

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FILE - Penn State's running back Matt Suhey (32) runs with the ball during the fourth period of a college football game against Temple at University Park, Penn., Nov. 17, 1979. (AP Photo/Fred Prouser, File)

FILE - Chicago Bears running back Matt Suhey (26), leaps through the air during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Dec. 12, 1982. (AP Photo/Gary Stewart, File)

FILE - Chicago Bear's Matt Suhey (26) heads for a touchdown during the NFL Super Bowl 20 football game against the New England Patriots in New Orleans, Jan. 26, 1986. (AP Photo, File)