3x3WS: Voiron, France

[DaBball]

Excellent game for Williams, and great to see someone else stepping up on offense for the USA. They don't show playing time but Ionescu only took three shots, so I'm assuming they rested her for much of the game? 1/3 is not a FG stat line I'm use to seeing from her!

I would say they all played about equal. Mongolia was so bad, so she just took on more of a facilitator role, and fed the hot hand. Probably see more offense from her tomorrow.

 

[NWHoopFan2]

Excellent game for Williams, and great to see someone else stepping up on offense for the USA. They don't show playing time but Ionescu only took three shots, so I'm assuming they rested her for much of the game? 1/3 is not a FG stat line I'm use to seeing from her!

She played her fair share but seemed to be deferring to the other three, consciously trying to get the other three going offensively. She had quite a few assists.

 

[MarlboroughMike]

Copy of FIBA data;

 

[eebmg]

Sabrina looked tired to me. Also, playing with Hebbard opens up a lot of space and angles which Sabrina uses expertly. Without that interplay, the 3 x 3 game often becomes 1 x 1 and that is not ideal for Sabrina. Actually, the 1 x 1 game seems to suit CW better. She plays better in contact, found her corner 3 (no hesitation) and had numerous bull rushes to the basket.

 

[LoTrader]

Sabrina's vision and passing skills remind me of Larry Bird. I know, Sabrina is no Larry Bird, however, Sabrina really does see the court well, anticipates well, and completes amazing passes.

 

[pvdoggy]

Sabrina's vision and passing skills remind me of Larry Bird. I know, Sabrina is no Larry Bird, however, Sabrina really does see the court well, anticipates well, and completes amazing passes.

I know she can score, but I am way more impressed by Sabrina's passing skill than shooting.

 

[BroadwayVa]

3 of the 4 have already played together. The only newbie is Ionescu, and that’s one hell of a newbie.

Sabrina has been my favorite since she hugged Geno as a Frosh after losing to him. My take on her: If there is a game with any one any where--she'll play and play at a high level to win. What's not to like about this kid exept the uniform.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Sabrina's vision and passing skills remind me of Larry Bird. I know, Sabrina is no Larry Bird, however, Sabrina really does see the court well, anticipates well, and completes amazing passes.

Of course Sabrina isn't Larry bird--she's not retire!! Don't knock the skills just bcause she plays like a girl--in the next life maybe larry will be that lucky.

 

[LoTrader]

Of course Sabrina isn't Larry bird--she's not retire!! Don't knock the skills just bcause she plays like a girl--in the next life maybe larry will be that lucky.

Knocking her skills? I just compared Sabrina to Larry Bird, the greatest basketball player of all time.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Don't know what happened but apparently USA lost to Italy 20-18 According to displayed score board USA was leading most of the game or was tied. Then all of a sudden with approx a minute left, scoreboard showed USA losing 20-18 when immediately prior they were leading. USA should have won this game but was relying on 2 point shots that they missed. Collier was ineffective for most of the game and Ionescu on ball defense was poor. If USA had Hebard, they win this game and most likely undefeated.

 

[DaBball]

Don't know what happened but apparently USA lost to Italy 20-18 According to displayed score board USA was leading most of the game or was tied. Then all of a sudden with approx a minute left, scoreboard showed USA losing 20-18 when immediately prior they were leading. USA should have won this game but was relying on 2 point shots that they missed. Collier was ineffective for most of the game and Ionescu on ball defense was poor. If USA had Hebard, they win this game and most likely undefeated.

Italy was really, really good -- totally a different level team that what Liv and Christyn saw at the Pan-Am games. They were quick, scrappy, skilled, and really good shooters. Collier was actually very effective early in the game -- I think she scored 4 or 5 of the first 10 points, but then she looked tired, and struggled. She isn't the most mobile 6'5", and her defense was not great.

I think Alarie is the best college level post player in the US for 3x3. She is very mobile, skilled, shoots the three. Basically she can defend and play out on the perimeter and in the paint -- much needed for 3x3.

 

[eebmg]

Don't know what happened but apparently USA lost to Italy 20-18 According to displayed score board USA was leading most of the game or was tied. Then all of a sudden with approx a minute left, scoreboard showed USA losing 20-18 when immediately prior they were leading. USA should have won this game but was relying on 2 point shots that they missed. Collier was ineffective for most of the game and Ionescu on ball defense was poor. If USA had Hebard, they win this game and most likely undefeated.

You cant look at the lower left stream fed scoreboard but the actual scoreboard on the court. It is free so you have to put up with these things.

 

[DaBball]

"You really think you can guard me?"

 

[eebmg]

Definitely relied on too many 2 pt shots. CW and Collier were the most aggressive and held up their end. Goodman was pretty ineffective (0-2 1pt and 1-5 on 2pt) and Sabrina can't have only an 'ok' game.

I guess we get one more shot in the quarters against a pretty high seed.

 

[eebmg]

Ok. The standings are in.

As 3rd seed in pool B, we face 2nd seed France U23 from Pool A in Quarter Final 2 12:10 EDT (at least we get a little more rest)

Saw France U23 in their 11/10 loss to France. We are in for it. A lot of athletic talent. France was able to win because of a few 'veteran' plays at the end.

Other Quarter is Romania / Italy 11:50 EDT

 

[DaBball]

They have Syracuse's Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi. She was a top-30 recruit in the class of 2017.

 

[LoTrader]

Yeah, to me the weak link was Goodman. She's not a great defender and the few points I got to see she got beat on defense several times, each which led to baskets. Also, Italy was really effective from long range. They were not a tall team, which makes me think ball handling and rapid defense skills are much more important than size for 3x3.

During the second half of the game, CW willing herself to the basket was the only thing that kept the US in it. She really muscles her way into the paint well when there aren't 6'4" post players waiting for her.

Goodman was the weak link on offense. However, you need to go back and watch this game again. Goodman was far and away the best defender on the US Team in this game.

 

[DaBball]

This has been a really entertaining matchup. Christyn playing really well. Getting very physical.

 

[DaBball]

Ugh, Christyn... not a good foul

This team's specialty is definitely not closing out tight games...

 

[jonson]

Italy was really, really good -- totally a different level team that what Liv and Christyn saw at the Pan-Am games. They were quick, scrappy, skilled, and really good shooters. Collier was actually very effective early in the game -- I think she scored 4 or 5 of the first 10 points, but then she looked tired, and struggled. She isn't the most mobile 6'5", and her defense was not great.

I think Alarie is the best college level post player in the US for 3x3. She is very mobile, skilled, shoots the three. Basically she can defend and play out on the perimeter and in the paint -- much needed for 3x3.

If I remember correctly, it was also an Italian team that beat the then US team (made up entirely of players from Oregon) two summers ago in the quarterfinals of the FIBA 3x3 World Championship. (The US team had been undefeated in the US tournament and ultimately finished 5th in the FIBA competition.) I also think the story was about the same:--Italy had quick, scrappy, good shooters--maybe even the same shooters.

 

[eebmg]

OMG. Last second 1+1 ends it for the US. Never should have fouled but it is hard to just let the player get a free lane to the basket. 17-16 loss.

 

[DaBball]

The next two are Prague and Bucharest, but the US isn't in either of those. The remaining locations with teams not yet announced are Xiong An, Debrecen, Montreal, and Udine.

 

[eebmg]

It is a fun format. At least everyone made it through in one piece.

 

[LoTrader]

Respectfully, I know that you got to rep the home team product, but I know what I saw - she got beat by her mark several times at the end when Italy broke the tie and took the lead. According to the stat sheet, she had no blocks and the fewest rebounds (1) of any USA player by far (Ionescu had 7, Williams 4, and Collier 4). They don't track steals for some reason, so maybe she had some of those earlier in the game, but she only had 18 steals total last year for OSU, so that doesn't seem to be her speciality, either. So I'm not sure what to base the claim that she was far and away the best defender on. For me, it wasn't the eye test, and it's also not the stat sheet.

And look, I like Goodman a lot, and when she's on she's magical. I don't mean to pick on her in general. But I'll stick to my assessment that she wasn't any better on defense than she was on offense, at least of the points I saw from about 15-13 on when Italy really took over the game.

To me, every one seemed kind of gassed by the end except for CW, and even she was relying more on her core athleticism than anything else. I felt like USA lost a bit of focus and energy, didn't have a game plan, and got beat on defense on some key possessions. (BTW, Ionescu got beat by her mark too, so it wasn't *just* Goodman.)

Better way to look at it is to watch her the entire game and how many shot attempts are made by the opposing player that don't convert. As well, if you watch how often Goodman switches on defense when a screen is set, you see she is a much better "team" defender than the rest. Sorry, we see it differently, which surprises me given the team you rep is a defensive minded team.

 

[LoTrader]

Well like I said, maybe it was just the plays I saw. And I agree she is a solid "team" defender. But that doesn't mean she can't get bestest by her defender 1 on 1, which is what much of 3x3 ball looks like. And I've always thought she takes kind of long steps on defense such that if her mark is fast enough, they can wrong foot her for an open three or a cut inside, each of which happened during the period I watched.

And it's telling to me that Goodman was named honorable mention got ALL-Pac 12 last year and honorable mention for All-Freshman the year before, but not for All-Defensive either year. IMHO, she's generally stronger on offense than defense, and her stats lines generally reflect that. And when Williams had 3 times the steals her freshman year thst Goodman had her sophomore, it's hard for me to take at face value the claim that Goodman is easily the best defender on the team.

If you are going by the eye test, it may be time for a visit to the optometrist. Stats are meaningless if you don't understand how OSU plays defense. OSU doesn't go for steals, but is, and will always be, the top, or near the top, defensive team in the PAC-12. Aleah's defensive fundamentals are fantastic, as a 1-on-1 defender, and, as importantly, a team defender (and team defense is absolutely is critical in 3v3).