The United States was unable to secure consecutive wins in the women’s 3×3 basketball tournament, with one prominent player citing the referees as a contributing factor.
The USA lost their semifinal clash against Spain, who subsequently fell to Germany in the final match; the USA claimed bronze by besting Canada.
In traditional basketball, the expectation for U.S. gold medals is nearly unassailable: the men’s team has claimed 16 golds out of 20 appearances, while the women’s team boasts a 9-for-12 record (with one silver and one bronze).
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Hailey van Lith of Team USA competes in the women’s 3×3 basketball bronze medal match against Canada on August 5, 2024, in Paris. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
However, this was not the case this time. While the women won gold in the inaugural 3×3 tournament in Tokyo in 2021, they did not achieve the same outcome this year.
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith, who transferred from LSU after a stellar season, expressed her frustration after contributing eight points in the semifinal.
“This is completely unfair. Those referees were clearly biased against the U.S.,” she commented post-game. “They were exaggerating contact, and quite frankly, they aren’t that skilled. Great effort by the team; we know who truly deserved to win.”
Her teammate, Cierra Burdick, had a different perspective.
Team USA’s Dearica Hamby, left, Cierra Burdick, Hailey Van Lith, and Rhyne Howard celebrate their bronze medal in women’s 3×3 basketball on August 5, 2024, in Paris. (Daniela Porcelli/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
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“This isn’t the medal we aimed for, but I don’t want to diminish this achievement,” Burdick reflected after the bronze medal match. “So much effort, determination, and sacrifice went into this. It may sound clichéd, but it’s absolutely true.”
Van Lith’s sentiments resonated with recent remarks made by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“FIBA doesn’t seem to want the USA to excel in 3×3 basketball. They prefer it to be dominated by countries that can’t put together a five-on-five team,” Windhorst explained.
“They impose several layers of requirements to qualify… You can only compete if you enter a multitude of qualifying events.”
Hailey Van Lith of Team USA is depicted during the match against Germany at the Paris Olympic Games on July 30, 2024. (Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
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The men’s 3×3 team did not advance past the group stage, finishing with a 2-5 record over their seven games.
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