The United States defeated Canada, 16-13, in the women’s 3×3 basketball bronze medal game at the Paris Olympics Monday, with L.A. Sparks forward Dearica Hamby giving the Americans their first lead with a layup and free throw with 1 minute, 17 seconds to play.
The U.S. never trailed again. The Americans increased their lead to 15-13 with 39 seconds remaining on Cierra Burdick’s free throw. Burdick made another free throw with 7 seconds left for the game’s final point.
Canada didn’t score again after Katherine Plouffe’s basket with 1:28 to play gave it a 13-12 lead. The Canadians were scoreless on their final four possessions, missing four shots and committing a turnover.
Baskets inside the arc and free throws are worth one point in 3×3 and baskets made from outside the arc are worth two points.
Canada scored four consecutive points on Plouffe’s two baskets and Kacie Bosch’s 2-point basket, taking what would be its biggest lead, 7-3, with 6:20 remaining. The U.S. responded with a 5-1 run, tying the score 8-8 with 4:28 left.
Hailey Van Lith and Rhyne Howard both scored two points during the run which lifted the Americans into the third of six ties. The score was also tied at 9-9, 12-12 and 13-13.
The U.S. made 11 of 17 1-point shots, 64.7%, 0 of 7 2-point shots and 5 of 7 free throws, 71.4%. The Canadians made 7 of 11 1-point shots, 63.6%, 3 of 14 2-point shots and 21.4% and did not attempt a free throw.
Hamby had a game-high equaling 6 rebounds as the U.S. was out-rebounded 15-13. Canada made 10 turnovers, 3 more than the Americans.
Van Lith, a Texas Christian guard, scored a game-high 6 points. Howard, an Atlanta Dream guard added 4, and Hamby and Burdick, who played for six WNBA teams between 2015 and 2021 and in Spain, 3 each.
Plouffe led Canada with 5, her twin sister Michelle and Bosch 3 each and Paige Crozon 2.
3×3 is played with a 12-second shot clock on a half court. Coaches are not permitted to be courtside.
The winner is the first team to score 21 points, or the leading team at the end of the 10-minute game clock.
The Olympic tournament was played at a temporary facility at Place de la Concorde, a square that was the site of many notable public executions, including those of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and Maximilien Robespierre during the French Revolution.
Earlier Monday, the U.S. lost a semifinal to Spain, 18-16, in overtime. The first team to score two points in overtime is the winner. Sandra Ygueravide made a driving layup 25 seconds into overtime. Howard shot an airball on a 2-point shot 12 seconds later.
Ygueravide ended the game with a free throw 50 seconds into overtime after she was fouled by Hamby driving to the basket.
Spain tied the score with 5 seconds left in regulation on Ygueravide’s layup. Hamby had the ball under the basket as time expired in regulation.
The Americans committed 11 fouls to 6 for Spain, which made 6 of 7 free throws, 85.7%. The U.S. made 1 of 3 free throws, with Hamby missing both of hers.
The U.S. committed 9 turnover to 1 for Spain. The Americans out-rebounded the Spaniards, 23-14, with Hamby pulling down a game-high 7.
The U.S. made 13 of 23 1-point shots, 56.5%, and 1 of 4 2-point shots, 25%. Spain made 6 of 18 1-point shots, 33.3% and 3 of 13 2-point shots, 23%.
Van Lith led the Americans with 8, Hamby added 5 and Howard 3. Ygueravide led all scorers with 9.
The 6-foot-3-inch, 30-year-old Hamby was selected as a replacement for her Sparks’ teammate Cameron Brink, who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee June 18 in a 79-70 loss to the Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, that will cause her to miss the Olympics and the rest of the WNBA season.
USA Basketball was required to choose a replacement among the top 50 Americans in the FIBA 3×3 rankings or have the minimum number of ranking points. Hamby’s playing for the Sparks had no connection to her selection as Brink’s replacement, Justin Trujillo, USA Basketball’s communications manager, told City News Service.
Hamby is in her ninth season in the WNBA and second with the Sparks. The former Wake Forest standout was the sixth overall selection in the 2015 WNBA draft by the San Antonio Stars. The team moved to Las Vegas before the start of the 2018 season.
Hamby was the league’s Sixth Woman of the Year in 2019 and 2020 and a WNBA all-star in 2021 and 2022, helping the Aces to the WNBA championship the latter year.