The U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball team was eliminated from the Paris Olympics on Sunday after a disappointing 2-5 finish in pool play. Despite strong performances by Canyon Barry, the team struggled after losing star player Jimmer Fredette to a lower extremity injury early in the tournament.
Opening with four consecutive losses, the U.S. secured victories over France and China thanks to Barry, son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry. However, their campaign ended in a 21-6 defeat to the Netherlands, which sealed their elimination.
Fredette’s injury was a significant blow, as the team had relied heavily on him offensively. “We ran out of gas playing with three,” Barry reflected. “It’s heartbreaking for Jimmer, and we had to completely alter our game plan without him.”
The U.S. tied Poland with the same number of wins, but Poland advanced due to a tiebreaker after their earlier victory over the Americans. Despite the setback, Kareem Maddox expressed pride in the team’s effort but acknowledged that the results fell short of expectations.
Coach Joe Lewandowski remained optimistic about the team’s progress and future prospects. “This experience sets the stage for improvement and helps us build for the future,” he said.
China was also eliminated, finishing 1-6 in pool play. Latvia and the Netherlands advanced to the semifinals, finishing first and second in the pool, respectively. Latvia went undefeated, while the Netherlands had a 5-2 record.
In the play-in games, Lithuania will face Poland, and Serbia will meet France to determine the remaining semifinalists.
