Constanta, Romania (Aug. 15, 2021) – The USA (2-2) women nearly completed a comeback against eventual champion Germany (5-0) but ran out of time in a 15-14 semifinal loss at the 2021 FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Constanta stop on Sunday evening in Romania.
Germany went on to beat Netherlands (4-1) 13-12 for the tournament title.
In the semifinal, neither team led by more than two points in the game’s early goings. With Germany ahead 6-4 at 7:42, N'dea Jones (Texas A&M/Lawrenceville, Ga.) scored a jumper to make it 6-5, but Germany answered with a 2-pointer that kicked off a 9-4 run to put the Europeans up 14-9 with 2:54 remaining.
The USA rallied with two points from Breanna Richardson (Mississippi State/Conyers, Ga.) and two more from Jones to cut the margin to one, 14-13, with 35 seconds to play. Germany made a free throw at 26.2, and Richardson made a layup at 13.0 seconds to make it 15-14. Richardson blocked Germany’s final attempt, but the USA could not get a shot off as the 10-minute game clock expired.
Richardson finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds and Jones had five points.
In its quarterfinal match up with previously unbeaten Slovakia (2-1), the USA led most of the way, but Slovakia was a threat throughout. At the first timeout at 6:56, the USA was leading 3-1. Slovakia scored out of the break, but the USA pushed its lead to 5-2. Slovakia tied the game 5-5, but Jordan Reynolds (Tennessee/Portland, Ore.) scored from inside and outside the arc to restore the USA’s three-point cushion, 8-5. Slovakia scored just once more, and the USA went on to earn the 11-6 win.
Jones had six points and 10 rebounds, Reynolds finished with three points and five boards and Blake Dietrick (Princeton/Wellesley, Mass.) contributed five rebounds and one point. Six of Richardson’s eight rebounds came on the offensive end as the USA outrebounded Slovakia 29-17, with 15 offensive rebounds.
The USA will compete in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Montreal stop on Sept. 3-4.
In addition to competing in Constanta, the USA also won the Klaipeda stop that was played July 30-31 in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
The host nation of Romania and the top seven teams in the season standings will earn an invitation to the 2021 FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Final, which will be played on Sept. 18-19 in Bucharest.
The FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series is a professional circuit for women.
Stay tuned to @usab3x3 on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news.
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