USA Advances to Semifinals at FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Klaipeda Stop
The USA completed group play 3-0 and earned a bye into the semifinals at the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series stop in Klaipeda, Lithuania, on July 30.
In the semifinal at 5:10 a.m. EDT on July 31, the USA will play the winner of the Israel (2-1) – Poland (1-2) quarterfinal that will be played at 4 a.m. EDT.
Games are streamed live at the FIBA 3x3 YouTube channel.
Playing for the red, white and blue are Cierra Burdick (Tennessee/Charlotte, N.C.), Linnae Harper (Ohio State/Chicago, Ill.), Alexis Peterson (Syracuse/Columbus, Ohio) and Breanna Richardson (Mississippi State/Conyers, Ga.).
In its first game against Germany (2-1), the USA scored first but found itself trailing 12-8 with 3:01 to play. All four players scored to kick off an 8-0 run that closed out the USA’s 16-12 win.
Richardson finished with six points, Harper added four points, Peterson had four points and four rebounds and Burdick tallied two points and five rebounds.
In its second game against Poland, the USA was in control throughout, jumping out to a 6-1 lead and then cruising to a 21-8 victory that ended with a score from Burdick with 1:08 left on the clock. The USA outrebounded Poland 22-5.
Burdick had eight points and 12 rebounds, Peterson scored seven points to go with four rebounds and Harper had six points, three rebounds and two assists.
The USA met Lithuania (0-3) in its third and final game of the day, and recorded a 17-10 win. The USA jumped out to a 5-0 advantage, but Lithuania climbed back to tie the game 8-8 at 4:38 after a 2-pointer and another score. Harper answered with a 2 for the USA, which was the start of a 6-0 run to give the USA a 14-8 lead at 1:43. Both teams reached the seven foul limit, and Lithuania made two free throws, followed by a score from Harper and two free throws from Peterson that wrapped up the 17-10 win.
The second semifinal will be played at 5:35 a.m. EDT on July 31 and will feature the winner of the Germany – Hungary (1-2) against Spain (2-1).
The semifinal winners will meet in the finals at 6:30 a.m. EDT on July 31.
In 2021, the FIBA Women’s Series has featured stops in Mies, Switzerland (May 15-16); Voiron, France (May 21-22); and Poitiers, France (June 29-30), which already have been played.
In addition to Klaipeda, a U.S. team is expected to play in the upcoming FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series in Constanta, Romania (Aug. 14-15).
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