Team USA’s 3×3 women’s basketball opening game at the 2024 Olympics didn’t go as planned, and some of that may have been down to illness.
Following the team’s 17-13 loss to Germany on Tuesday, guard Hailey Van Lith said she wasn’t feeling well but didn’t appear to be making excuses.
“I think I have a cold,” she said. Associated Press“I think it was the rain during the opening ceremony that caused it. So I think it was a bit of both, but I’m OK. I’ve played in the rain in the NCAA Tournament, so nothing’s going to beat me.”
The former LSU and TCU-bound star led Team USA with six points on five of nine shooting, and also had three rebounds.
Meanwhile, her three remaining teammates, Dearika Hamby, Sierra Burdick and Rhyne Howard, made just 6 of 19 field goals and combined for just seven points.
In Tokyo 2021, the team of Kelsey Plumb, Jackie Young, Alisha Gray and Stephanie Dolson won the gold medal in 3×3 basketball, the event’s first Olympic Games.
Van Lith averaged 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game for the Tigers last season as Louisiana State reached the Elite Eight, but lost to Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
Meanwhile, the Court of La Concorde was also a thorn in the side of the Americans.
The U.S. men’s team, featuring former BYU star Jimmer Fredette, lost 22-14 to Serbia in its opening pool match on Tuesday.
2024 Paris Olympics
Van Lith and the women’s team are scheduled to return to the court on Wednesday to take on Azerbaijan.
Despite the difficult start, the silver lining for Team USA is that they still have plenty of chances to prove themselves in their next gold medal bid.
The U.S. will also face Australia, Spain, France, Canada and China, playing each day over the next four days plus two more matches on Thursday and Friday.
