PARIS — On Friday, Team USA clenched two wins over both France and Canada. The Americans snapped their losing streak after going 0-3 in the past games, and now have created a winning streak.
“We are getting better at figuring out our chemistry and each game we add something different. We are just happy to get a couple of wins,” Derica Hamby said.
As the game begins, Ciera Burdick misses an early opportunity to score from Rhyne Howard’s pass. The fouls started to rack up early for both teams from the high defensive intensity. France is the first one to put points up on the board with a contested layup by Limouzin.
The lefty, Hailey Van Lith beats the shot clock yet again with a two-point-shot to put Team USA up 2-1. Burdick has a great look to Derica Hamby for the easy bucket giving the Americans a bigger lead. Hamby’s hard foul leads to a free throw shot from Frances’s Marie Eve Paget.
TCU’s Van Lith drives to the basket to make a hard layup puts the score at 4-2. Van Lith leads the Americans with 3 points with just seven minutes remaining. France’s Myriam Djekoundade answers right back with a quick wide open layup to the basket.
Latetita Guapo outsmarts Hamby with a good move to the basket to tie the game at 4-4. Hamby continues to try to work up a shot in the paint but good defense by the French doesn’t allow it.
Spark’s Hamby scores after driving to the lane giving the Americans the lead back. Guapo hits a deep shot to give France their second lead of the game. Djekoundade steals the ball from Burdick and makes a stellar pass for a France back to back bucket from Guapo.
The former Tennessee Volunteer, Burdick puts an end to France’s 2-0 run with a clean up bucket after Hamby missed. Guapo hits a step back shot on Howard that puts France up 8-6 over the Americans. The defense by France stops Team USA but Hamby denies the attempt for Djekoundade to make the layup. Burdick found a way to score back to back to tie the game at 8.
Howard’s attempts at a two doesn’t fall but she tracks the rebound down and gets an assist to Burdick. Limouzin silences the Americans run with a scoop shot to tie the game at 9-9 with just two minutes remaining.
Burdick cleans up another shot to put the U.S women back in the lead. Hamby backed her way into a tough layup to make the score 11-9. The French answered right back with a finger roll shot from Limouzin to close the score gap.
Atlanta Dream’s, Howard finally gets a basket to drop at the one minute mark with a tough layup. After the timeout, Howard finds her way to the basket to put the United States women up 13-10. The Americans give up a big time offensive board to France, that leads to a bucket from Djekoundade. Hamby gets smothered by the France defense and isn’t able to answer back. France tied the game at 13-13 with a deep two by Paget at 17.9 seconds remaining.
After the late timeout Team USA tried to drive to the lane to get a foul but were denied. Hamby works her way to a huge bucket for the Americans. France tries to make a quick shot before the clock ran out but is too late.
Van Lith leads the Americans to their second victory in the Paris Olympics with 4 points. Burdick and Hamby also put up a great game with 4 points.
”Van Lith’s one of those players that you give her the ball just get out of the way, she’s that special” Sports Commentator Kyle Montgomery said during Friday’s game.
Team USA made a huge change from their other games with crashing the boards in every instance. The Americans had over 16 rebounds while the French stayed under 10. Friday’s game was a very competitive game that had 3 lead changes and they were tied 3 times.
“It was just being able to tough through that toughness and gut it out,” said American Dearica Hamby.
In Friday’s game two against Canada, Rhyne Howard led the way to the U.S third win. The tight game had several lead changes back and forth. As the time was up the game went into overtime at 16-16 tie between the two teams. The energy on the floor showed neither team wanted to give up a win. Not long after overtime started, Howard knocked down a two-point shot to call the game at 18-17.
Honorable performances were also put on by Burdick with 3 points, and 5 rebounds. The Spark’s Derica Hamby as well had 3 points and 2 rebounds
The Americans moved up to fifth from their past eight spot in the Paris Olympics 3×3 standings with nine points. Team USA’s win over Canada on Friday confirms the defending champions work ethic in the 3×3 play.
On Saturday, Team USA will go on to play China at 1:05 p.m E.T to finish up the pool play action.
Kierra Richardson is a Journalism student at Ohio State University desiring to work in sports media.
