Team USA 3×3 gets their first win over Spain in Thursday’s game with a 17-11 win. The Americans have finally found their footing in the Olympics 3×3 after losing three straight games. In the past few games the Americans fell short to Germany, Azerbaijan and Australia.
In the first few minutes both teams were held scoreless until Spain’s Sandra Ygueravide got an easy bucket. Shortly after Cierra Burdick returned the favor for Team USA after backing her defender into a shot.
Hailey Van Lith hits a big two for Team USA early in the game to take the lead over Spain. The Americans continue to do special things in their offense as Derica Hamby drives to the lane for a bucket putting Team USA up 4-1.
Spain’s shots just weren’t connecting early in the game but they couldn’t be denied when posting up Team USA in the paint for easy buckets. With six minutes on the clock Spain’s Vega Gimeno puts up another point to cut into the Americans 4-2 lead.
“We just know they wanna crash [the boards]” Ciera Burdick said in a timeout to her teammates.
After the timeout the Americans turned up their defense and stopped Spain’s attempt to drive to the lane. When Team USA regains the next possession Atlanta Dream’s, Rhyne Howard wastes no time and knocks down a two.
The Spanish drive to the lane and make and score to silence the crowd. Team USA has another hard time defending Spain with them closing the gap on the Americans 6-4 lead.
Burdick gives Howard a beautiful pass to the basket that helps Team USA widen the lead. Spain’s Gimeono hits an open two pointer to give her team a fighting chance. Burdick adds to Team USA points after making a foul shot.
Howard gets a big block on Spain that leads to a two point lead from Van Lith putting the U.S up 4 points. Van Lith doesn’t stop there, not long after she gives Team USA another bucket in just a Knick of time before the shot clock ran out.
Spain cuts the lead again after a nice pass to the basket for an open shot. Hamby gets an assist from Van Lith that brings Team USA up 12 to 7 with just three minutes left in the game.
Gimeno makes a big time two for Spain to make it a 12-9 game. Howard gets to the free throw line but only makes one.
Spark’s Hamby blocks Gimeno attempt to score and then gets back to the paint to score. Juana Camilion doesn’t hesitate to shoot a vital two for Spain.
Burdick cleans up a shot by Hamby to give the Americans a 15-11 lead.Burdick makes one of her two free throws after Spain fouls her. Howard makes a two pointer that puts the game away with a 17-11 lead.
In Thursday’s game Van Lith and Howard each scored 5 points to secure the victory. Team USA silences the fans who doubted they’d come out with a win. The Americans move into 1-3 record after the win over the Spanish.
On Friday, the Americans will play their last game before the knockout rounds begin, against France at 7 a.m. E.T. Later that day they will face Canada at 12 p.m E.T.
Kierra Richardson is a Journalism student at Ohio State University desiring to work in sports media.
