Rhyne Howard’s clutch game-winner could have simply saved USA Basketball’s 3×3 staff

They are saying that basketball is a recreation of runs and momentum. The U.S. ladies’s 3×3 Olympic basketball staff has embodied that unpredictability — falling behind 0-3 in pool play and on the point of elimination, earlier than rattling off three consecutive wins to get proper again into the medal hunt.

As we speak was the winningest Paris Olympics day but for this system. The staff — led by Hailey Van Lith, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, and Cierra Burdick — squeaked out two shut wins to enhance to a 3-3 total file — first a 14-13 win in opposition to France, then an 18-17 victory over Canada.

In opposition to France, the Sparks’ Dearica Hamby was the hero, ending a layup on the finish of regulation to provide Workforce USA the lead, and in the end, the win.

Going through Canada, it was the Dream’s Rhyne Howard who sealed the deal in additional time with a step-back three (a shot price two factors in 3×3 basketball).

Howard’s game-winner got here after TCU guard Hailey Van Lith sunk a deep one among her personal from behind the arc, tying issues up with 22 seconds left in regulation.

Howard, who struggled within the first few days of 3×3 Olympic play, has discovered a much-needed rhythm and is now showcasing the scoring prowess that USA Basketball hoped for after they named her to the roster. She led the way in which with 7 factors within the win in opposition to Canada, headlined by game-winner.

Whereas Workforce USA continued to endure some defensive miscommunication — and Canada picked on the undersized Van Lith’s — they managed to shut out two much-needed wins to maintain their medal hopes alive.

Right here’s the place issues presently stand

Proper now, Workforce USA is in fifth place total within the standings — that means they’ll transfer ahead to the play-in spherical if issues stand, although there’s extra basketball to be performed.

The highest two groups within the standings robotically qualify for the semi-finals, and the subsequent 4 qualify for the play-in.

1. Germany: 4-1 (Germany beat China 18-15 as we speak)
2. Australia: 4-2 (Australia beat China 21-12 as we speak, after which fell to Spain 21-17)
3. Canada: 3-2 (Canada fell to the US 18-17)
4. Spain: 3-2 (Spain beat Australia 21-17 as we speak)
5. United States: 3-3 (The U.S. beat France 14-13, then Canada 18-17)
6. China: 2-4 (China misplaced each video games as we speak — to Germany 18-15 and to Azerbaijan 21-19)
7. Azerbaijan: 2-4 (Azerbaijan misplaced to Australia 21-12 as we speak, then beat China 21-19)
8. France: 1-4 (France misplaced to the U.S. 14-13 as we speak)

Subsequent Up

Tomorrow is the final day for 3×3 pool play, and the U.S. will face China at 1:05pm ET. A win would safe their spot within the subsequent spherical. The semi-finals happen on Monday, when 4 groups will compete for an opportunity at a medal. The winner of each semi-final video games will competing within the gold medal recreation, whereas the losers will face off with a bronze medal on the road.