USA Basketball Announces Olympic 3x3 team

[UConnCat]

 

[ochoopsfan]

U.S. Olympic 3x3 Women’s Basketball Team Announced for Debut Event in Tokyo

Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Katie Lou Samuelson will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games this summer.

www.usab.com

 

[Blakeon18]

Congratulations to all 4 women..especially to Stef and Katie Lou. I wonder if this is a logical step for coach Kara Lawson on her way to be the head coach of the regular team?

Question: why is this competition now a part of the Olympics? Do the men have the same 3 on 3 competition?
If not...might this be a way to get the number of competitors 'more equal'? If the men do have this 3 on 3 deal then what other reasons might there be?

Basketball has always been [to me anyway] 5 on 5. 3 on 3...2 on 2...1 on 1...they all seem "pick-up" games and/or drills to
improve individual skills.

Are there any other team sports that the IOC is considering to embrace with less that normal number of players?
7 on 7 soccer? 6 on 6 softball? If not...why not?

Just wondering.

 

[Kaizen]

 

[ochoopsfan]

Congratulations to all 4 women..especially to Stef and Katie Lou. I wonder if this is a logical step for coach Kara Lawson on her way to be the head coach of the regular team?

Question: why is this competition now a part of the Olympics? Do the men have the same 3 on 3 competition?
If not...might this be a way to get the number of competitors 'more equal'? If the men do have this 3 on 3 deal then what other reasons might there be?

Basketball has always been [to me anyway] 5 on 5. 3 on 3...2 on 2...1 on 1...they all seem "pick-up" games and/or drills to
improve individual skills.

Are there any other team sports that the IOC is considering to embrace with less that normal number of players?
7 on 7 soccer? 6 on 6 softball? If not...why not?

Just wondering.

3 x 3 has been very popular in Europe, and I believe Asia, too. There are national teams that play year round in this event. Sports are added, and sometimes dropped from Olympics. Not sure if host nation has a decision on this. The USA mens team did not qualify for this event. 3 x 3 is played on a half court, not sure how that would work with soccer and softball. When I was a kid if we were short players in pick up baseball games we had a rule, not hitting to the right side of the field.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Congrats to ALL FOUR of these women. Glad the team that qualified the U.S. gets to go to Tokyo to compete.

 

[Dokey]

Congratulations to all 4 women..especially to Stef and Katie Lou. I wonder if this is a logical step for coach Kara Lawson on her way to be the head coach of the regular team?

Question: why is this competition now a part of the Olympics? Do the men have the same 3 on 3 competition?
If not...might this be a way to get the number of competitors 'more equal'? If the men do have this 3 on 3 deal then what other reasons might there be?

Basketball has always been [to me anyway] 5 on 5. 3 on 3...2 on 2...1 on 1...they all seem "pick-up" games and/or drills to
improve individual skills.

Are there any other team sports that the IOC is considering to embrace with less that normal number of players?
7 on 7 soccer? 6 on 6 softball? If not...why not?

Just wondering.

If you watched the 3 X 3 competition for Olympic spots, you saw a very fast, exciting game. And, yes, the men play too. Basketball, more than any other sport, lends itself to this format. By the way, anyone from a small town will tell you eight man football is very real. Softball doesn’t work because fields are too big. 3 x 3 bb is played on a small half court.

 

[WBB_FAN_WA]

Congrats to these players and especially happy they kept the same players that made up the Olympic qualifier.
Go Dolson and KLS!
If you are not familiar with 3X3 basketball, watch on YouTube some of the Olympic qualifier games played recently in Austria. It’s fa paced, physical and very exciting.
Go USA!

 

[UConnCat]

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The competition in womens' 3X3 is going to be tough and then some. If they come away with the gold it will be a tremendous achievement.

 

[UcMiami]

Congratulations to all 4 women..especially to Stef and Katie Lou. I wonder if this is a logical step for coach Kara Lawson on her way to be the head coach of the regular team?

Question: why is this competition now a part of the Olympics? Do the men have the same 3 on 3 competition?
If not...might this be a way to get the number of competitors 'more equal'? If the men do have this 3 on 3 deal then what other reasons might there be?

Basketball has always been [to me anyway] 5 on 5. 3 on 3...2 on 2...1 on 1...they all seem "pick-up" games and/or drills to
improve individual skills.

Are there any other team sports that the IOC is considering to embrace with less that normal number of players?
7 on 7 soccer? 6 on 6 softball? If not...why not?

Just wondering.

Beach Volleyball is at least a demonstration sport at the Olympics as well as having a big pro circuit.

Basketball is a very popular international sport and is well suited to a 3x3 format that can create a single long weekend multiple team tournament with teams playing 2+ games per day. Games are intense but short and recovery from ten minutes is fast enough for a quick turnaround. And it doesn't require an expensive venue so promoters can ship in a whole set-up in a truck, play a tournament in a parking lot, and move on to the next venue a week later.

People are always trying to find new versions of classic games as well as creating new sports (e.g. x-games.) The successful ones spread internationally. Ones that reduce the overhead, time, and/or participants of classic games are high on the list because the skills and rules are already understood and the games can spread quickly and increase participation at all levels. (Cricket classically takes up to five days to complete a single match, limited overs (50) one day cricket was created and spread quickly, followed by 20/20 which is even shorter - same venue and same number of players in all versions and mostly the same rules and skills, but much shorter times.)

 

[EricLA]

This is so great for all 4 of those ladies. It gives USA basketball a chance to send 16 athletes to the games instead of just 12. So happy for Lou and Stef! Great players and great ambassadors for UCONN hoops, as well as USA hoops.

 

[Geew1992]

Posters on the Bench think Dolson and Samuelson don't deserve to be on the team. I'm not sure why they think that considering they, the 4 that are going, were the ones that qualified them for the Olympics. Pretty sure the think Arike should be there

 

[Dillon77]

Posters on the Bench think Dolson and Samuelson don't deserve to be on the team. I'm not sure why they think that considering they, the 4 that are going, were the ones that qualified them for the Olympics. Pretty sure the think Arike should be there

Hey there. I just came from The Bench and please let me clarify: There was one person who wrote all of two sentences regarding Stef Dolson and Katie Lou Samuelson and one who agreed in the ensuing headline. That's it...hardly a groundswell. And there was no mention of Arike (at least until I'll do so below). As an active member of both boards, I just want to make sure this isn't blown up to be a case of "us vs. them" on such a small sample size. What I'll now write will be posted on the Bench, as well:

- First, congrats to all those who were named to the team. All four were on the qualifying team and played --obviously -- well together, so why break a good thing up, particularly at this late juncture? As someone who plays half-court once a week, chemistry is a big time thing in half-court, so stick with what's working.

- As for the UConn representatives. Stef Dolson was the surprise of the tournament for me. She's pulled a bit of a Jessica Shepard on her physique and endurance, all for the better. She moved and rebounded well, both offensively and defensively, and set some monster pick and rolls.
Katie Lou rebounded and played defense well on opponents when matched up correctly (that's not a crack...speed is going to be an issue for her). She was not the main offensive threat there, but that's why they have a team.

As for the other two members, Gray and Plum can break down opponents and score in a variety of ways, via drives, pull-up jumpers or bombs.

- As per Arike, she has represented the U.S. in 3x3 tournaments over the years and has an overall record of 36-2, with those teams taking home gold and silver medals. She was named to the 2015 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup All-Tournament Team. In short, Arike can do 3x3: her game may be better suited to half-court than full, with her combination of speed and physicality.

Still, who would she replace? Plum? Gray? They both played great in similar roles to what Arike would bring to the mix. However, if one of those two cannot go for whatever reason, I'd make a call to AO in a hurry.

Once again, congrats to all four. This member of the Bench wishes them the best.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Wow Katie Lou looks fired up in that picture with Stef!

 

[Dillon77]

Will there be an alternate named for the 3x3 team? (Since this is the first time for the sport in general, I can't think of a precedent.)

Also, switching over to full court, I can' recall if there alternates for the 5x5 team and whether they go or on standby?

Thanks to any and all for information and/or intersting opinions.

 

[ochoopsfan]

Will there be an alternate named for the 3x3 team? (Since this is the first time for the sport in general, I can't think of a precedent.)

Also, switching over to full court, I can' recall if there alternates for the 5x5 team and whether they go or on standby?

Thanks to any and all for information and/or intersting opinions.

From USA basketball

U.S. Olympic 3x3 Women’s Basketball Team Announced for Debut Event in Tokyo

Stefanie Dolson, Allisha Gray, Kelsey Plum and Katie Lou Samuelson will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games this summer.

www.usab.com

Athletes eligible for the Olympic roster must be U.S. citizens who participated in at least one of the following events: the 2021 Red Bull USA Basketball 3X Nationals, one of the Red Bull 3X regional tournaments that feed into the 2021 3X Nationals or the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

For each federation, the 3x3 Olympic rosters must include two players ranked in the country’s top 10 3x3 athletes, according to FIBA’s 3x3 player rankings as of June 21, 2021. For women’s teams, the other two team members must have a minimum of 3,600 points or be ranked in the top 50 of their national individual ranking, according to the FIBA player rankings as of June 21, 2021.

I dont know if the above qualification swill allow for any alternates on the USA roster.


I dont see any conditions or qualifications for the 5 x 5 teams. Since the 3 x 3 Olympic event is the first week of the Olympics and the 5 x 5 is the 2nd week of the Olympics I believe the 3 x 3 players can be alternates, if needed. I dont think you can phone a player in the USA that we need you, get over here.

 

[fan4eva]

Congratulations to all 4 women..especially to Stef and Katie Lou. I wonder if this is a logical step for coach Kara Lawson on her way to be the head coach of the regular team?

Question: why is this competition now a part of the Olympics? Do the men have the same 3 on 3 competition?
If not...might this be a way to get the number of competitors 'more equal'? If the men do have this 3 on 3 deal then what other reasons might there be?

Basketball has always been [to me anyway] 5 on 5. 3 on 3...2 on 2...1 on 1...they all seem "pick-up" games and/or drills to
improve individual skills.

Are there any other team sports that the IOC is considering to embrace with less that normal number of players?
7 on 7 soccer? 6 on 6 softball? If not...why not?

Just wondering.

great question but instead of different number of players on a team the ultimate thing about basketball on the playground or any school gym is one on one that would settle a lot of arguments if they created a one on one tournament for both the women and men with both champions facing off !!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Posters on the Bench think Dolson and Samuelson don't deserve to be on the team. I'm not sure why they think that considering they, the 4 that are going, were the ones that qualified them for the Olympics. Pretty sure the think Arike should be there

IMO Arike would cause many 12 second clock violations due to continuous dribbling and not much giving up "the rock".... Could just be my anti-ND bias showing due to to a no-sit transfer that gave Muffett McGraw her last NC in 2018...

I am extremely happy that the four that qualified them gets to play on the biggest 3 X 3 stage yet!!! Particularly that half of them are Huskies, and two very special guards in Plum & Gray.

 

[Dillon77]

I dont see any conditions or qualifications for the 5 x 5 teams. Since the 3 x 3 Olympic event is the first week of the Olympics and the 5 x 5 is the 2nd week of the Olympics I believe the 3 x 3 players can be alternates, if needed. I dont think you can phone a player in the USA that we need you, get over here.

Thx for the legwork. No it does not appear that there are tons of alternate 3x3 candidates and hopefully the U.S. won't need 'em anyhow.

What I meant by the phone was in reference to how tight the Japanese gov't. is/might be with extended teams/staff. I was thinking alternates might be left stateside. Your idea that the 3x3 players could serve as alternates is, as the elder George Bush (and Dana Carvey) might say, "prudent."

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Beach Volleyball is at least a demonstration sport at the Olympics as well as having a big pro circuit.

Huh? Beach Volleyball was a demonstration event in 1992 and has been an official sport since 1996. The US has done well, although they have been outperformed by Brazil. The last men's gold was 2008 and they have not medaled since. The last women's gold was 2012 and the US earned bronze in 2016.

 

[UcMiami]

Huh? Beach Volleyball was a demonstration event in 1992 and has been an official sport since 1996. The US has done well, although they have been outperformed by Brazil. The last men's gold was 2008 and they have not medaled since. The last women's gold was 2012 and the US earned bronze in 2016.

Should have googled it! I knew I had seen it in Olympic coverage, but ...

USA is going to have a fight in this competition as there just isn't as much focus in the States on the 3x3 game. The other nations have much more experienced players to pull their teams from. The fact the men failed to qualify is an indication of that. Be interesting to see if D-League NBA players may get tempted to give up their dreams and really commit to 3x3. In some ways I think it might be a good development route and they might be able to jump back to 5x5

 

[MilfordHusky]

As a reminder, the USA won a Gold in 3x3 in about 2014-15. The team: Lou, Phee, De'Janae Boykin, and Arike.