setback to Romania in their first game of the day, but still advanced to the next round atop Group D and edged Bulgaria 19-17 to keep their medal hopes alive. However, Serbia took an early lead and went on to advance to the semifinals with a 20-16 win. “They were a very good team,” said
Brown. “They banked in some shots that we didn’t think they would hit and we didn’t make shots that we should have hit. It was just a tough, tough situation.”
Day 4 - August 26 The United States women continued
their winning ways on day four to finish undefeated to capture the inaugural FIBA 3x3World Championship for Women. Slipping past Australia 19-18 in the
semifinals, the U.S. came from behind to capture gold with a 17-16 victory over France in the gold medal game. Australia edged Ukraine 18-17 in the bronze medal game.
“No, it never gets old ever,” said
Diggins, who has now earned four gold medals playing internationally for USA Basketball. “This is one of the most memorable definitely because it was the first time ever. We’ve all been talking about this, in 100 years they’re doing this
in the Olympics, when we’re old, we can tell our kids that we were in the first one.” “I can’t say
enough about the women’s team,” said Johnson. “They fought, and fought and fought and just pulled it out. They maintained and held strong to the end. Through this whole process, from training camp through the tournament, they had a never say die attitude. Never. Even when they were at practice, they were like, ‘we have to work on this, we have to work on that. We have to be strong together.’ That was their attitude the whole time and it showed in their game tonight against France. France was a stronger team tonight, but at the end of the game the USA prevailed. “As far as the guys team, these guys
The USA 3x3 World Championship Teams took time away from the competition to see some of the sites of Athens, Greece, and for a combined team photo in front of the Acropolis.
played with so much heart for the past two months. For them to take everything in as an experience, not having played at the USA Basketball level and not being sure as to what that entailed, they
Continued on page 120 NO NAME
2012 USA Women’s 3x3 World Championship Team Roster POS HGT WGT DOB YOG COLLEGE/HOMETOWN
5 Skylar Diggins 6 Bria Hartley
13 Chiney Ogwumike F 12 Ann Strother
G 5-9 145 08/02/90 2013 University of Notre Dame/South Bend, IN G 5-10 142 09/30/92 2014 University of Connecticut/North Babylon, NY 6-3 174 03/21/92 2014 Stanford University/Cypress, TX 6-3 155 12/11/83 2006 University of Connecticut/Castle Rock, CO
F
Team Leader: Jamie Carey, USA Basketball Team Consultant: Joseph Lewandowski, Deer Lakes High School (Pennsylvania) Athletic Trainer: Joseph Fritz, Lake Granbury Medical Center (Texas)
2012 USA Women’s 3x3 World Championship Team Results (9-0) DATE
August 23 August 23 August 24 August 24 August 25 August 25 August 25 August 26 August 26