Even though the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 were forever marred by the pandemic, it did see the debut of 3×3 basketball being added to the Games’ itinerary.
In Tokyo, USA Basketball won the inaugural rendition of Olympic 3×3 hoops on the women’s side while Latvia prevailed over Russia to claim gold on the men’s end of the ledger.
Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray and Stefanie Dolson made up the inaugural rendition of the Team USA 3×3 Olympic team. When the Olympic cauldron is lit in Paris, it will be Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks), Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream) and Hailey Van Lith that will vie for gold.
One can get a good glimpse of Paris’ most famous landmark – the Eiffel Tower – from La Concorde. In addition to 3×3 basketball, it will also host several other sports including BMX freestyle, breaking and skateboarding.
Also – while the more traditional 5×5 tournament will take place virtually throughout the duration of the Olympics, the 3×3 portion of the Olympiad will run from July 30-August 5.
Now that we have put a spotlight on who Team USA will throw at the competition in France, it is time to have a look at that competition that will look to knock the Stars and Stripes off of its gold medal perch.
Germany 🇩🇪
Team USA’s first opponent of the Paris 2024 Olympics. It was last year in Vienna when Germany scored its best-ever showing in a 3×3 FIBA World Cup. The team earned a fifth-place finish.
Germany qualified for this year’s Olympics because of what it got accomplished in its 3×3 Olympic Qualifier. The Germans were locked in a 17-17 contest with Hungary prior to a buzzer-beating two-pointer which sealed Germany’s spot at the Games.
The 3×3 team is comprised of Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Marie Reichert, Luana Rodefeld and Elisa Mevius (out of Oregon). Greinacher had nine points to lead all scorers in the game with Hungary and Brunckhorst got Germany the buzzer-beating double.
Australia 🇦🇺
Australia will send four to France for its 2024 Olympics 3×3 rendition. When pool play commences on June 30, Australia’s first opponent will be Canada.
Ironically, it was Canada who the Gangurrus defeated in the FIBA 3×3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2 back in May to earn its berth to the Paris Olympics. The final score was 19-16.
The focal point of all things Australia 3×3 is Anneli Maley. She plays for the Perth Lynx of the WNBL and has American collegiate experience at Oregon and TCU. She will be making her Olympic debut in France alongside Lauren Mansfield, Marena Whittle and Alex Wilson.
Canada 🇨🇦
Speaking of the Canadians…
At the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in 2022, Canada did claim a silver medal by going 6-2 that year. Similarly to Australia, Canada missed out three years ago in Japan when 3×3 was introduced as the newest member of the five-ring circus.
Canada made sure lightning did not strike twice in the same place. By virtue of a 21-10 victory to dispatch of Hungary, Canada ensured it would compete in 3×3 at the Games.
A huge reason why Canada’s bid to get to the Games was successful was because of its sister act of Michelle and Katherine Plouffe. The Plouffes made things rough for Hungary as they had 17 points (nine for Katherine and eight for Michelle) between the two. Kacie Bosch and Paige Crozon round out the roster.
Spain 🇪🇸
This year’s Olympic women’s 3×3 competition will see plenty of teams have their chance in the Paris spotlight – including that of Spain.
Spain vividly remembers that gut-wrenching defeat to Japan that dashed its Olympic dreams prior to 2021. This Spain rendition was determined to ensure that did not happen again.
Gracia Alonso threw up a prayer with her back to the basket and she hit paydirt to claim a berth in Paris for Spain. Along with Alonso, Juana Camilion, Vega Gimeno and Sandra Ygueravide will round out this year’s 3×3 rendition for Spain.
Spain’s first get-together of this year’s Olympics in pool play will be against Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan 🇦🇿
Speaking of Azerbaijan…
Hong Kong and China hosted the FIBA 3×3 University Olympic Qualifying Tournament 1 back in April. Azerbaijan was part of a nine-team field that also saw teams from Chile, Mongolia, Egypt, Poland, The Netherlands and Hungary alongside the two host nations.
Azerbaijan suffered a defeat to Netherlands in pool play, but finished the tournament with a 4-1 mark to earn its spot in the Paris Games. An thrilling 18-17 overtime victory over Poland was what put Azerbaijan over the top. Azerbaijan got six points each from Alexandra Mollenhauer and Tiffany Hayes (yes, that Tiffany Hayes). Dina Ulyanova and Marcedes Walker will also sport the Azerbaijan uniform.
France 🇫🇷
More than likely, France’s 3×3 women’s team has to be one of the stories in the Francophone media given how the French team has established itself as a formidable 3×3 power.
In 2018 and 2019, France claimed bronze medals at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup. In 2022, the team struck paydirt by claiming gold medals. Last year in Vienna, the team exited that tournament having won silver.
This year’s French team will be comprised of Laetitia Guapo, Hortense Limouzin, Marie-Eve Paget and Myriam Djekoundade. France was also seen as one of the teams to beat heading into the Tokyo Olympics. The team went 5-5 in those Games and finished just shy of the medal stand in fourth place.
France’s first pool play contest will be against China.
China 🇨🇳
About the China team…
It is a China team that is one of only three returning to the Olympics after the tournament in Tokyo. Lately, China has had stellar showings at FIBA 3×3 World Cups as well – a gold in 2019 in the Netherlands, a bronze in 2022 in Belgium and a fourth-place showing in Austria last year. This is in addition to leaving Japan in 2021 with bronze.
Since China was already highly ranked, it had the luxury of an automatic qualifier for the Olympics. The team is currently third-ranked, per FIBA.
China is sending Mingling Chen, Ji Yuan Wan, ZhiTing Zhang and Lili Wang to the Olympics. Teams looking to defeat China ought to find a way to contain Wang – which has not been an easy task.
