PARIS — The U.S. women’s 3×3 team started the Olympics slowly but will finish with a bronze medal around its neck after a 16-13 victory over Canada on Monday.
Facing Canada, whom the United States had beaten by a single point in sudden-death overtime in the group stage, the Americans used a starting lineup consisting of Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby and Rhyne Howard, with Hailey Van Lith coming off the bench.
Canada struck first, with Michelle Plouffe sinking a long two-pointer. Van Lith scored the U.S. team’s first point with a sleek turnaround jumper in the paint. Howard followed with an easy jumper from the free throw line to tie the game at 2.
The teams traded points, and early on, the U.S.’s superior defense made up for its mistakes on offense, such as shot clock violations and easy turnovers. The 12-second shot clock proved to be a problem for both teams, as slow-developing plays ended in turnovers. Canada took advantage of a pair of cuts to the basket to take a 5-3 lead a third into the game.
Canada’s Kacie Bosch hit another two-pointer from the left wing to extend the lead to 7-3, but Van Lith and Howard hit shots in the paint and a fancy jumper from the elbow to cut the Canadian lead to 1, 7-6 halfway through the 10-minute game.
The U.S. tied the game at 8-8 on a long jumper by Howard. As the sun set over the Paris skyline, the U.S. was faced with a do-or-die medal situation. A long two-point jumper by Paige Crozon and a jumper by Michelle Plouffe extended Canada’s lead to 12-9 with three minutes remaining.
A technical foul with just over two minutes remaining allowed Van Lith to bring the U.S. within a goal, and seconds later she tied the score at 12 with a powerful drive. Michelle Plouffe and Katherine Plouffe combined for a point and an assist, and the U.S. responded immediately afterward.
Hamby gave the U.S. its first lead of the game with just over a minute left, 14-13. Burdick made a free throw to give the U.S. a 2-point lead with 39 seconds left, but missed a second that could have given the U.S. a three-point lead.
Canada’s frantic two-point shots went wide and the U.S.’s clutch rebounds put Burdick at the free throw line with seven seconds left. She made the first to put the U.S. up 16-13, then missed. Katherine Plouffe’s frantic two-point shot went wide and the U.S. took the bronze medal.
This can be considered a big turnaround for a team that looked to be in serious trouble last Thursday. Team USA lost its first three games of the Olympics, to Germany, Azerbaijan and Australia. However, wins over Spain, France, Canada and China (twice) put the team back on its feet and in position to contend for a gold medal. But a semifinal loss to Spain in overtime on Monday sent the Americans to the bronze medal game.
The United States faced problems before the Olympics began. Cameron Brink’s torn ACL cost him his spot in the Olympics, and Howard was still recovering from ankle problems when the Games began. The team lacked the cohesion of other teams, but managed to come together at just the right time to put together a closing run.
The women’s team was much more successful than their men’s counterparts, who could only manage two wins on a difficult course. Neither team is performing at the level of Team USA’s 5×5 teams; the question now is whether this is a matter of coaching, personnel, training, financial support, playing opportunities, or a combination of all of these.