• Box Score:  USA 20, New Zealand 11 
• Box Score:  USA 19, Russia 8
• 2019 FIBA 3X3 Women’s U18 World Cup Schedule/Results

The USA Women’s 3x3 U18 World Cup Team opened preliminary round play Tuesday with a pair of convincing victories, defeating No. 10 seed New Zealand (1-1) 20-11 and No. 2 seed Russia (0-2) 19-8 at the FIBA 3X3 Women’s U18 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

The USA  women’s 3x3 U18 World Cup Team features Olivia Cochran (Carver H.S./Columbus, Ga.), Madison Hayes (East Hamilton H.S./Ooltewah, Tenn.), Rickea Jackson (Detroit Edison Public Academy/Detroit, Mich.), and Hailey Van Lith (Cashmere H.S./Wenatchee, Wash.). Athletes eligible for the USA team must be 18 years old or younger (born on or after 1/1/01) and U.S. citizens.

Facing New Zealand in each team’s first game of the World Cup, the USA jumped out to a 6-2 lead before seeing New Zealand run off five straight points to take a 7-6 lead. New Zealand led 8-7 with 4:23 to play but the Americans finished off the game in impressive style, outscoring New Zealand 13-3 to take the win.  Jackson led the U.S. with eight points, Cochran added six points and Van Lith tossed in five points.

Meeting Russia in its second game of the day, the USA defense limited Russia to just eight total points, including just one 2-pointer. Cochran paced the USA offense in the win with seven points, Jackson accounted for five points, Hayes added four points and Van Lith was credited with three points.

“I was pleased with our defense here, (now we’re) just getting ready for the other teams because this is just the pool games,” said USA team member Hayes.  

“I think in the first game we scrambled a lot just trying to find our man. In the second game we played really well offensively as well, knowing the plays and executing them.”

The USA will finish off its preliminary round games on June 6 facing 0-2 Poland (1:20 a.m. EDT) and 2-0 Hungary (4 a.m. EDT) on June 6.

Following conclusion of pool play, teams will be seeded based on their records, and the top two teams from each of the four pools advance to the June 7 knockout round, starting with quarterfinals. Winners will advance to the semifinals, and the gold and bronze medal games will be played later that day.

Keys for the USA staying on the winning path according to Hayes are “Executing our plays and being able to give pressure and handle our opponents pressure.”

The FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup has been held on an annual basis since 2011, except the years of the Summer Youth Olympic Games (2010, 2014, 2018). Twenty men’s and 20 women’s teams are competing in the 2019 event. In addition to the men’s and women’s 3x3 tournaments, included in the 2019 3x3 program are skills contests, giving athletes chances to win additional medals.

Teams that qualified and are participating in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup for Women include: host Mongolia, the 2018 Youth Olympic Games gold medalist United States, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Ukraine.

The USA women’s 3x3 U18 teams, including the U18 squads in the Youth Olympic Games, have compiled a 68-8 overall record and captured gold at the 2014 and 2018 Youth Olympics and the 2012, 2013 and 2017 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cups; silver at the 2015 and 2016 3x3 U18s; and a pair of bronze medals at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and 2011 3x3 U18 Worlds.

With the inclusion of 3X3 in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, fans will see the launch of a new basketball discipline in Olympic competition. The exciting and fast-paced game officially was unveiled at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. 

Played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner.