Paris Olympic 2024 Showdown: The men’s 3×3 basketball team from the United States suffered a blow in their Olympic campaign in Paris, going down to 0-2 in pool play following a close 19-17 loss to Poland.
With ninety seconds remaining, Jimmer Fredette led a late charge that reduced the margin to just one point, but Michał Sokołowski’s clutch free shot sealed the victory for Poland.
With almost ninety seconds remaining, Jimmer Fredette decreased the margin to one, but Michał Sokołowski’s free shot a few seconds later increased the lead to 19–17.
Late in the game, the United States had a chance to tie it, but Fredette’s 2-point shot fell short. With roughly three minutes remaining, Fredette—who was brought in to strengthen the squad after the United States failed to qualify for Tokyo—seemed to be hurt. While receiving treatment from a trainer, he appeared to be in discomfort, but he quickly resumed his game.
After the game, he remained silent when speaking with reporters, and a team representative stated that he was getting treatment but did not elaborate on the nature of his injury.
The American squad is still confident in spite of their difficult start to the Paris Games.
“We’re not worried,” Kareem Maddox remarked. “We just know that we need to make some adjustments.”
After a basket by Canyon Barry with roughly six minutes remaining, the U.S. was down by 1, and with four minutes remaining, Poland utilized a 6-1 run to make it 15-9.
With roughly two and a half minutes remaining, Poland had a five-point advantage until Barry converted three free throws to make the score 17–15. Barry makes free shots with the same deception as NBA Hall of Famer Rick Barry, his father.
Adrian Bogucki’s basket extended Poland’s advantage to three points, and Dylan Travis attempted a jumper for the United States before Fredette’s final basket pulled the team within 18–17.
Bogucki led Poland, who fell to France on Tuesday, with seven points and five rebounds. With six points apiece, Barry and Travis lead the United States. In the 3×3 match, Fredette added three more points. She is the lone player with NBA experience.
Only two of fifteen long-range efforts were made by the United States. Barry stated, “We’re just not making shots.” That is the crux of the matter. Even though we looked great, they just didn’t fall tonight.
With three seconds left, Timothé Vergiat’s eight-point basket gave France a victory over Lithuania and a 2-0 lead in pool play.
With almost two minutes remaining, Lucas Dussoulier made two free throws to give France a five-point lead. With less than a minute remaining, Lithuania scored the final three points, led by Evaldas Dziaugys, to level the game.
With twelve seconds remaining, Gintautas Matulis turned over the ball, giving Vergiat the opportunity to score the game-winning goal. France defeated Poland on Tuesday with Jules Rambaut scoring nine points and pulling down five rebounds.
Dziaugys and Aurelijus Pukelis each scored seven points for Lithuania. In the match between Latvia and the Netherlands, defending champion Karlis Lasmanis collected eight points.
After Latvia defeated Lithuania to open the tournament, Nauris Miezis contributed five points and six rebounds in the victory. With almost four minutes remaining, Worthy de Jong made a basket and then a free throw to bring the Netherlands within one point.
After that, Latvia scored nine more points, two of which came from Lasmanis and one from Miezis, bringing their advantage to 19-9.
The Netherlands’ next points came from a 2-pointer by Arvin Slagter, their first in almost two minutes, and a basket by De Jong with less than a minute remaining cut the deficit to 19-12.
But on the following play, Lasmanis hit a two-pointer to seal the deal. De Jong scored seven points to lead the Netherlands, who defeated China in their opening match.
Zhang Ning led China to victory over Serbia with 11 points and four rebounds. With roughly six minutes left, a basket by Mihailo Vasic gave Serbia a 9-7 lead.
After then, China took control, going on a 10- 1 run to lead 17–10. China pulled away over that stretch with three 2-pointers.
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With almost two minutes remaining, Marko Brankovic and Dejan Majstorovic each sank a pair of 2-pointers for Serbia to trim the margin to 19-15. With 2:05 left, Zhao Jiaren made two free throws to seal the victory.
Majstorovic scored seven points, while Brankovic contributed five for Serbia, the bronze medallists from the Tokyo Olympics. Each squad has a 1-1 record. First up, Serbia defeated the United States. The Netherlands defeated China.
U.S. women lost to Azerbaijan
In women’s 3×3 basketball pool play at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, Azerbaijan defeated the United States 20–17, with Tiffany Hayes scoring 11 points, including the game-winning basket late. The loss dropped the defending champions to 0-2.
With six seconds remaining, Hayes—a player for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces—driven into the lane and completed with a layup to give Azerbaijan the lead, 18–17.
With a 2-pointer by Hailey Van Lith, the United States had a chance to take the lead again. Alexandra Mollenhauer made two free throws to seal the match after the United States committed a desperate foul.
One of the favorites to win these games again was the U.S. squad. But the team hasn’t played well yet; in the first game, they fell to Germany.
