I’m not the biggest fan of 3 x 3 basketball as an Olympic sport
But it does give players who are a step below U.S. senior team levels but have specific skills in the half court to shine.
The U.S. women’s team won the first ever Olympic competition, defeating Russia,18-15, in the gold medal game, jumping out to a 12-5 lead, frustrating the Russians early and then holding on for the gold. In 3 x 3, half court games end after 10 minutes or once a team scores 21 in an outdoor venue. There is a 12-second shot clock. Made shots count for one point or two points if made beyond the arc.
The American team– comprised of WNBA stars Kelsey Plum, Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray and Jackie Young– were nearly flawless during the tournament, defeating Mongolia, Romania, Italy, China once before beating France and Russia twice. Their only loss was to Japan in the final group game when their appearance in the knockout round was secured. The group was able to overcome the loss of Katie Lou Samuelson to a Covid test prior to the competitive.
The 6-5 Dolson, who plays for the Chicago Sky, scored a team-high seven points in the gold-medal game. Plum contributed with five points. “This is really cool,” Plum, the NCAA’s all time leading scorer at Washington who now plays with Young for the Las Vegas Aces. said following the gold medal win. “I just feel super blessed.”
Russia’s Anastasia Logunova had six points in the loss.
“A gold medal is top tier in my career,” Gray, who’s won an NCAA national championship in 2017 while playing at South Carolina and plays for the Dallas Wings, said. “I think the only thing that can top this is winning another gold medal. I don’t think any other accomplishment in my career tops this gold medal. The gold medal sits at the very top.”
The men’s team– which had no current NBA representatives– did not qualify,
Robbie Hummel, an All-Big Ten forward from Purdue who briefly retired after playing in the NBA and overseas, was the biggest name on a less herald US men’s team that was eliminated in the quarterfinals of a qualifying tournament by Netherlands, 21-16.
Hummel was joined on the team by Dominque Jones, Kareem Maddox and Joey King, none of whom played in an NBA regular season game.
