USA Women's National Team Opens 2022 FIBA 3x3 World Cup With Two Victories
· 2022 FIBA 3x3 World Cup Schedule
· 2022 FIBA 3x3 World Cup Box Scores
The USA Basketball 3x3 Women’s National Team started the 2022 FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2-0 with wins against New Zealand, 19-14, and Austria, 18-16, on Wednesday at the Groenplaats in Antwerp, Belgium. The USA, as well as France, sit atop the Pool B standings after the first day of action.
Lauren Cox had a double-five in the opener against New Zealand, finishing with seven points and five rebounds. Her impact on both offense and defense loomed large in the final three minutes of the game. A narrow 11-10 lead for the U.S. grew to 13-10 after Cox stepped behind the two-point line and drained the shot from distance. She also sunk two free throws in the final moments to conclude her impressive stretch.
Cierra Burdick also had a double-five against New Zealand. The USA 3x3 veteran scored six points and pulled down six rebounds.
In the game against Austria, it was the early heroics of Ashley Joens and the late two-way effort from Hailey Van Lith that paced the U.S. in a closely contested affair.
Joens scored a team-high six points in the game, but it was the back-to-back 2-pointers that helped the USA keep pace with the talented Austrians. She earned her first double-five by also securing five rebounds.
Van Lith’s defense helped spark the USA rally as the red, white and blue trailed 16-14 with a 1:20 remaining in the game. Van Lith’s pressure forced two turnovers, resulting in baskets from Cox and Burdick, but it was her go-ahead driving layup with 26.4 ticks left that gave the USA the lead.
The schedule for the second, and final, day of pool play will see the U.S. take on Brazil (6:20 a.m. ET) and France (9:55 a.m. ET) on Friday, June 24. The contests will be streamed on www.youtube.com/fiba3x3.
Different than five-on-five, 3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams “clear” the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-pointer field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.
