SINGAPORE– The shock waves are still reveberating through USA Basketball Grass roots after the U18 world 3×3championships in Jakarta.
The
U.S. men’s team, which had rolled through pool play, lost to a Lithuanian team that finished fourth in its group, 15-12, in the round of 16 Saturday night and was eliminated from the tournament before the final day of the tournament.
Because they did not medal, the
U.S. men will not qualify a spot in the Youth Olympics next August in
Nanking, China.
Just a day earlier, the American team, which consisted of 6-9, 240 pound power forward Cliff Alexander, 6-9 power forward
Demonte Flanningan, guard Dominique Collier and guard Larry Austin looked unbeatable, routinely scoring 21 points to end games before the 10 minute clock had run out on the outdoor courts in
Monas Park, just outside the city’s central business district.
They seemed empowered by the fact that Alexander, a Top 5 prospect nationally from Chicago Curie who was the leading scorer in the tournament even though he only played eight games, had 23 dunks in pool play, and Flanningan, who threw down seven, were just too athletic and quick to the rim for opposing teams that seemed intimidated by what they viewed as superior
U.S. athletes who played at such a high intensity in the steaming heat.
But two things caught up to the
U.S. in this tournament– the fact they became overly dependent on the dunk, which was worth two points– the same as a three point shot– and did not have multiple shooters they could put on the floor.
Lithuania, a team with average talent, had the basketball IQ to understand this. When they played the
U.S,. they backed off the shooters and made a conscious effort to take away the dunk. As a result the
U.S. self destructed in a low scoring game. The Americans did not have one dunk or one three pointer in a low scoring loss. The Lithuanians gambled, figuring they would rather foul and send the Americans to the line for one point opportunities. The
U.S., as it turned out, missed five straight free throws down the stretch when the game was on the line.
To the USA basketball’s credit, the country’s young woman’s team had enough versatility and resiliency, especially after 6-3 junior Katie Lou
Samuelson from Huntington Beach, Calif. made a conscious effort to be a complete player and and just a three point shooter, to make the adjustments that led to a gold medal victory over Estonia. The fact no other team had a player like aggressive 5-9 junior
Arike Ogunbowalke from Milwaukee didn’t hurt either.
But the men– which have never won this
U18 competition– need to figure this game out. Collier, a senior from Denver who has committed to Colorado, was the only true
U.S. shooter and he made just six threes during the tournament.
Argentina, which defeated France for the gold, sent a more balanced team that included strong 6-5 forward Gabriel Deck, who played in the Hoop Summit last year, a smart point guard
Gargallo Lucas and two more
bigs like Nicola
Zurschmitten, and
Alexjandro Zurbiggen who could play inside and outside and make threes. Deck and
Zurshmitten both made game winners in pool play. All four played on their country’s
U17 team.
If nothing else, this should be be a lesson to the
U.S.
3×3 is a totally different game than 5
x5, based on freedom of expression with no sideline coaching. Selection of any team should be based on players with multiple skills, not just a talent for dunking. And since this country does not have a sports academy, there needs be some pre-tournament practice time to provide an understanding of the game and much more planning. The
U.S. men did play — and win –two pre-tournament events in Colorado Springs and Washington, D.C.
But they started to believe the myth of celebrity that suggests talent could overcome sloppy play and a lack of focus. It became to surface in the late rounds of pool play and it came back to bite them in the playoffs.
Perhaps it would be better for everyone involved, including the
U.S., which appeared to have a huge advantage with the increased value of the dunk, to reconsider the new rules that were put in by the
FIBA 3X3 committee, which have sacrificed skill development for entertainment in an effort to draw bigger crowds to the park to watch the Americans.
Cut the value of the dunk back to one point.. This is not a nightclub act.
FIBA 3×3 is a good idea that has merit as an addition to the summer Olympics, but it needs to be tweaked before Rio for the good of the game and the growth of the sport, even if it doesn’t favor the Americans.
