Sarah to Represent 3x3 for the US (merged thread) | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Sarah to Represent 3x3 for the US (merged thread)

hoopsfan22 said:
Professional athletes in general are not allowed to partake in certain physical events that risk injury. Today's student-athletes are virtually professional athletes and should be held to that same standard.
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The Players are "invited" to play for the national team. I assume
they consider it an honor to do so.
 
Experienced Spanish team takes the young US team to school in the quaterfinals, 20-12.
 
oldude said:
Experienced Spanish team takes the young US team to school in the quaterfinals, 20-12.
Expand ...
Win as a team... Lose as a team.... The USA loses!
USA put themselves in a hole with 13 fouls with means
double bonus for the Spanish Team.... Free Throws and
then they also get the ball back... Not easy to overcome
those facts. Spain, IMHO, probably would have won anyway.
The USA never "clicked" as team all-tournament.
 
Zarathustra said:
Win as a team... Lose as a team.... The USA loses!
USA put themselves in a hole with 13 fouls with means
double bonus for the Spanish Team.... Free Throws and
then they also get the ball back... Not easy to overcome
those facts. Spain, IMHO, probably would have won anyway.
The USA never "clicked" as team all-tournament.
Expand ...
Poland and Madrid were good teams. US wins over both were no accident. The US played pretty much the same game against Spain, but couldn’t finish effectively at the basket, which got them into a deep hole they couldn’t climb out of.
 
Zarathustra said:
The Players are "invited" to play for the national team. I assume
they consider it an honor to do so.
Expand ...
hmmm ... yes. but is it?

personally, i'd feel it is an obligation, and especially for younger people they might feel that pressure without even acknowledging it. i see that as a form of exploitation -- a form that society endorses, sadly.

call it an honor, but your reputation is ruined if you don't comply. that feels like coercion to me.
 
PacoSwede said:
hmmm ... yes. but is it?

personally, i'd feel it is an obligation, and especially for younger people they might feel that pressure without even acknowledging it. i see that as a form of exploitation -- a form that society endorses, sadly.

call it an honor, but your reputation is ruined if you don't comply. that feels like coercion to me.
Expand ...
It’s not quite the situation for 3x3 in the US. Foreign countries put together experienced teams that compete in 3x3 tournaments year round. These teams don’t even play 5x5 basketball. Hell, Ulan Bator has a team that made it to the semifinals of this tournament. I had no idea they played basketball in Mongolia.

The US team has 3 college kids who will all be starting summer classes and practice soon. They all did fine considering their lack of experience relative to every other team in the tournament. But their priority is getting ready for the 2025/26 college season. Cierra Burdick is probably the only US player who might continue on the 3x3 circuit.
 
.-.
US was overmatched against Spain. Didn't like the style they played in any of the games. Way too much standing around, almost no turnovers leading to points, and basically no three-point attempts.
 
Watched the Madrid game and Sarah was not on her game. Most of their scores were the 1 point variety. Did not look like a unit that has practiced. I did hear from the announcer that the USA team was seeded #11 which surprised me. Its funny, I didn't even hear about this tournament until the other day when someone posted about it. Well, some great news: Sarah didn't get injured.
BTW, a nice little interview with Azzi, giving us good news that the team will be back at school in about a week for workouts.
 
I kinda agree with @Charliebball @Bald Husky and @PacoSwede -- I don't care for the FIBA 3x3 tournaments I've seen. It feels a bit coerced, it's as much rugby scrum as basketball, and I don't see anything enjoyable for the players in it. By the way, other than the 'coerced aspect', Unrivaled has a bit of this flavor too, but since the strength and skill of the WNBA players is so much higher -- and there's a real monetary reward for them -- I find it slightly more palatable. And thank goodness no one was injured, which seemed like a real possibility to me.
 
.-.
oldude said:
A week in Marseille is a pretty enjoyable consolation prize……
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Personally, I can take Marseilles or leave it. In the end, it’s a gritty port town. But there is a pretty zone piétonne where you can spend an idle hour or two. If they have access to a car, tooling around the Côte d’Azur could be great fun. I wonder if any of them speak French.
 
Bone Dog said:
Personally, I can take Marseilles or leave it. In the end, it’s a gritty port town. But there is a pretty zone piétonne where you can spend an idle hour or two. If they have access to a car, tooling around the Côte d’Azur could be great fun. I wonder if any of them speak French.
Expand ...
Je ne sais pas.
 
Spain won the Championship with a 21 to 11 win
over Czechia. First place was worth $14,000.oo U.S.
dollars. The USA Team came in 6th out of 14 teams.
6th Place was worth $ 3,000.00.
The Fiba 3X3 Women's Series continues TOMORROW
May 26, 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The USA is not in
the field of teams (There is a whole new slate of teams).
Baku is on the Caspian Sea, which is North of Iran.
With the different size ball, and the different weight to
the ball, I believe that I could see the lack of experience with
these extra variables for the USA team. Perhaps that is
why we did not see so much outside 2-point shooting (3 pointers
for those thinking NCAA distance). Did anyone else notice
our players had some difficulty with dribbling and with ball handling due to
the different ball? Also, I think some of the poor passing between
team members could also be attributed to the weight of the
ball and the "grip" (I believe the surface of the FIBA balls is also
a different texture!). So, there were many things that made just about everything harder for "newbies" vs the regular 3X3 teams that participate in these
tournament all year long. So, Sarah and her teammates did not simply
have "off games". If this USA team continues to play "on the circuit"
this summer I expect the "learning curve" will become apparent. Maybe
not in the very next competition but as the summer progresses. The
sport is now an OLYMPIC ONE? If so, this could be a case of the USA taking its
"lumps" now to prepare for the future. GO SARAH!!, GO USA.
EDIT: FYI... 3X3 basketball was added as an official OLYMPIC
Sport on JUNE 9, 2017! Wasn't Stephanie Dolson on the recent
Olympic 3x3 team???
 
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I think this summer "recreation" is a supremely dumb idea. Repretitive Strain Injury exists and for many everything is fine until it isn't and then it is ice baths and rehab or surgery when our player shows up in Storrs and comes clean. I suppose it would be a knock on recruiting if Geno mandated no summer tournament.
 
Zarathustra said:
Spain won the Championship with a 21 to 11 win
over Czechia. First place was worth $14,000.oo U.S.
dollars. The USA Team came in 6th out of 14 teams.
6th Place was worth $ 3,000.00.
The Fiba 3X3 Women's Series continues TOMORROW
May 26, 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The USA is not in
the field of teams (There is a whole new slate of teams).
Baku is on the Caspian Sea, which is North of Iran.
With the different size ball, and the different weight to
the ball, I believe that I could see the lack of experience with
these extra variables for the USA team. Perhaps that is
why we did not see so much outside 2-point shooting (3 pointers
for those thinking NCAA distance). Did anyone else notice
our players had some difficulty with dribbling and with ball handling due to
the different ball? Also, I think some of the poor passing between
team members could also be attributed to the weight of the
ball and the "grip" (I believe the surface of the FIBA balls is also
a different texture!). So, there were many things that made just about everything harder for "newbies" vs the regular 3X3 teams that participate in these
tournament all year long. So, Sarah and her teammates did not simply
have "off games". If this USA team continues to play "on the circuit"
this summer I expect the "learning curve" will become apparent. Maybe
not in the very next competition but as the summer progresses. The
sport is now an OLYMPIC ONE? If so, this could be a case of the USA taking its
"lumps" now to prepare for the future. GO SARAH!!, GO USA.
EDIT: FYI... 3X3 basketball was added as an official OLYMPIC
Sport on JUNE 9, 2017! Wasn't Stephanie Dolson on the recent
Olympic 3x3 team???
Expand ...
You mention the problem the US had dribbling the ball. What I noticed watching the games is that the court was a temporary construction with assembled panels that rattled constantly when someone was dribbling on it. I strongly suspect there were numerous dead spots on the floor that seemed to adversely affect the US team, particularly in the game against Spain.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
I think this summer "recreation" is a supremely dumb idea. Repretitive Strain Injury exists and for many everything is fine until it isn't and then it is ice baths and rehab or surgery when our player shows up in Storrs and comes clean. I suppose it would be a knock on recruiting if Geno mandated no summer tournament.
Expand ...
I just checked (May 25th). 3X3 basketball is an Olympic Sport. The next
Olympic Games is in Los Angeles in 2028. The USA participating in
these events is probably an attempt to get our Women's 3X3 team
some experience before the actual "BIG DANCE"!! As we noticed this
weekend there were many "national" teams in this Marseille competition
as well as City (e.g. "Madrid") and other regional teams. As Mayor
Ed Koch said, years ago: "You can't win it... if you're not in it". ("Ed"
was the major of New York City for those members of the Boneyard from other regions of the USA.").
 
.-.
It would seem that Spain was heads and above all the others. I would be curious to learn about the makeup and background of that team, players, etc. especially since, if as stated, this 3x3 program will be in the upcoming Olympics.
 
Zarathustra said:
I just checked (May 25th). 3X3 basketball is an Olympic Sport. The next
Olympic Games is in Los Angeles in 2028. The USA participating in
these events is probably an attempt to get our Women's 3X3 team
some experience before the actual "BIG DANCE"!! As we noticed this
weekend there were many "national" teams in this Marseille competition
as well as City (e.g. "Madrid") and other regional teams. As Mayor
Ed Koch said, years ago: "You can't win it... if you're not in it". ("Ed"
was the major of New York City for those members of the Boneyard from other regions of the USA.").
Expand ...
I understand the argument and most of us are all for it until one of our team leaders goes down. Part of my problem has to do with my total lack of regard for the game called 3X3. Don't fool around and call it basketball. It isn't. And the rules and clock accentuate the potential for injury as due the lack of pregame routine in many of these shoestring "basketball" festivals. Unrivaled is just a bunch of people finding another way to cash in, primarily of TV rights Ed was colorful and a good mayor despite being a Dem but he wasn't talking sports.
 
I'm just glad Sarah wasn't injured. Probably good experience for her. She's a smart kid and I'm sure could look at how the games were played and would think "We/I could have done ____ better".

I don't think Sarah is a natural vocal leader. Hopefully over time she becomes more outgoing on the court from a leadership perspective...
 
Zarathustra said:
I just checked (May 25th). 3X3 basketball is an Olympic Sport. The next
Olympic Games is in Los Angeles in 2028. The USA participating in
these events is probably an attempt to get our Women's 3X3 team
some experience before the actual "BIG DANCE"!! As we noticed this
weekend there were many "national" teams in this Marseille competition
as well as City (e.g. "Madrid") and other regional teams. As Mayor
Ed Koch said, years ago: "You can't win it... if you're not in it". ("Ed"
was the major of New York City for those members of the Boneyard from other regions of the USA.").
Expand ...
Won't the Olympic 3X3 team be made up of WNBA players? Hasn't this been the case for most every sport ever since the IOC "allowed" professionals to participate?
 
Centerstream said:
Won't the Olympic 3X3 team be made up of WNBA players? Hasn't this been the case for most every sport ever since the IOC "allowed" professionals to participate?
Expand ...
You are probably right in this assumption. But I, being a dreamer,
imagined Sarah Strong in the summer of 2028 after completing her
senior year at UCONN (a few NCs??) then being a (possible) candidate
for the USA 3X3 Olympic Team in Los Angeles!! Another 3X3 Gold for
Sarah??? She won GOLD in earlier FIBA 3X3 tournaments,, e.g. U18,
U16.
 
.-.
Zarathustra said:
You are probably right in this assumption. But I, being a dreamer,
imagined Sarah Strong in the summer of 2028 after completing her
senior year at UCONN (a few NCs??) then being a (possible) candidate
for the USA 3X3 Olympic Team in Los Angeles!! Another 3X3 Gold for
Sarah??? She won GOLD in earlier FIBA 3X3 tournaments,, e.g. U18,
U16.
Expand ...
Or Sarah will be in the WNBA by the time that the Olympics start, so...
(Don't the Olympics start in July???)
 
Centerstream said:
Won't the Olympic 3X3 team be made up of WNBA players? Hasn't this been the case for most every sport ever since the IOC "allowed" professionals to participate?
Expand ...
In 2024, at Paris, The USA 3X3 Bronze winning team was composed of:
Cierra Burdick (also on the recent Marseille team), Dearica Hamby (WNBA),
Rhyne Howard (WNBA), and Hailey Van Lith (TCU). Like at Marseille,
the USA struggled, losing their first 3 games. They then righted the
ship, winning their final 6 games and defeated Canada for the Bronze
Medal 16-13. With the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, this underscores
the need to get a deep pool of USA players ready to content for that
future Olympic Squad.
 
ERWUC65 said:
It would seem that Spain was heads and above all the others. I would be curious to learn about the makeup and background of that team, players, etc. especially since, if as stated, this 3x3 program will be in the upcoming Olympics.
Expand ...
FYI: (excuse any misspelling of names!)
1. Vega Gimeno Martinez was the MVP of the tournament. She
was a Silver Medalist at the 3X3 Women's Paris Olympics.
Ms. Martinez is 186 cm = 6'1". She plays with Basket
Zaragoza in Spain. She won the Women's 3X3 "European Cup"
in 2021 and was a runner up in 2019 and 2023. She played
collegiate ball at Robert Morris U, in Pittsburgh from 2007 to
2010. She is a "small forward", and she was born on January 8,
1991 = 34 years old.
2. Gracia Alonso De Armino, 32 years old, height 180 cm = 5'9".
3. Juana Camilion, 26 years old, Height 180 cm = 5'9"
4. Sandra Ygueravide, 40 years old, height 172 cm = 5' 6".
So, the Spanish team was SHORTER than the USA!!
Burdick 6'2", Sarah 6' 2", S. Williams 5'11", and M. Williams
(I think) 6'0".
At the Paris Olympics Germany took GOLD beating Spain
(Silver), and the USA beat Canada 16 -13 for the Bronze. The USA
team was Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, and
Hailey van Lith.
 
Zarathustra said:
FYI: (excuse any misspelling of names!)
1. Vega Gimeno Martinez was the MVP of the tournament. She
was a Silver Medalist at the 3X3 Women's Paris Olympics.
Ms. Martinez is 186 cm = 6'1". She plays with Basket
Zaragoza in Spain. She won the Women's 3X3 "European Cup"
in 2021 and was a runner up in 2019 and 2023. She played
collegiate ball at Robert Morris U, in Pittsburgh from 2007 to
2010. She is a "small forward", and she was born on January 8,
1991 = 34 years old.
2. Gracia Alonso De Armino, 32 years old, height 180 cm = 5'9".
3. Juana Camilion, 26 years old, Height 180 cm = 5'9"
4. Sandra Ygueravide, 40 years old, height 172 cm = 5' 6".
So, the Spanish team was SHORTER than the USA!!
Burdick 6'2", Sarah 6' 2", S. Williams 5'11", and M. Williams
(I think) 6'0".
At the Paris Olympics Germany took GOLD beating Spain
(Silver), and the USA beat Canada 16 -13 for the Bronze. The USA
team was Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, and
Hailey van Lith.
Expand ...
Thank you for all that, very informative, also begs the question of how does the US select their team, seems like just an afterthought?
 
ERWUC65 said:
Thank you for all that, very informative, also begs the question of how does the US select their team, seems like just an afterthought?
Expand ...
The "regular" USA squads are selected (to be best of my knowledge) in
line with the just finished U16 Women's American Women's Team: 52
players invited to Colorado training facility, a " cut " down " to 22
"Finalists" and then a chosen12. For 3x3 competition I would guess that
it is different, but similar? In the past the Girls 3x3 were chosen by
a competition between a number of teams (four players = one team). The "WOMEN's Series" goes on all year, all over the world and for each competition site it is a different "team". So a particular team may be "selected" based
on the individual players experience and skill set for a particular tournament/
championship. One interesting fact is the "seeding" for these
tournaments. The seeding is based on the "country's/team's" record
over an extended period. Thus, the USA's lowish "seeding" for the
Marseille competition. Cierra Burdick has been playing international
3X3 competition for quite a long time.
On another front I was wrong on some of my "facts" about the
FIBA "official" ball. There are four approved balls: one by VEGA (Chinese
from Zhangzhou, China); one from Molten (Japanese, from Hiroshima); and
one each from Wilson and Spaulding. On the FIBA website these balls have
the "specifications" of "Size "6", Intermediate, 28.5 " (they said Diameter, but
they must mean Circumference?!, see below), and the material
is described as "composite leather" for Wilson, and Synthetic Leather for Spaulding. They describe the balls has having the "same weight" as the
size 7 ball. (men's, I assume). The NCAA, women's ball, is a "size 6" with a circumference "between 28.5 to 29" and a weight between 18 -20 oz. The ball "when dropped from 6 feet will bounce between 51 - 56 inches. So, if I
understand this correctly, the FIBA balls are the same "size", i.e. a size"6". I am
still a little confused about the weight as it was posted as "Same weight as
a Size 7". I also looked up the WNBA official ball: 16 oz, 28.5 " (so there
is a clear similarity of these balls). My mistake was that I believe that
I once heard a reference to different ball sizes/"grip"/weight etc. but that was at
a FIBA 'dunking' contest for MEN. I seemed to have generalized too much.
Any better information on such things would be appreciated for further
clarification.
P.S. There is an Official Surface for all FIBA 3X3 competition and
even an official "canopy system" for the outdoor venue (rain and sun
variables). So, there is a guaranteed uniformity among all international
sites. All teams have to contend with the same wind... and many
announcers have made comments about the wind affecting the
players outside shooting accuracy. Too much info? I must
have too, too much time on my retired hands!! Z
 
.-.
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