US Men’s 3×3 Basketball Team Stumbles in Olympic Debut, Falling to Serbia; Latvia and Netherlands Secure Wins

The U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball team had a disappointing start to their Olympic campaign, suffering a 22-14 defeat to Serbia in their opener at the Paris Games. Despite the inclusion of former NBA player Jimmer Fredette, the U.S. struggled to keep pace with their opponents. Fredette managed only four points, while Serbia’s Marko Brankovic and Strahinja Stojacic led their team to victory. Stojacic scored a crucial 2-pointer to seal the win with 2:34 remaining. The U.S. missed several key opportunities, including a wide-open layup by Fredette, and struggled from the free-throw line, missing six out of sixteen attempts.

In other action, France narrowly defeated Poland 21-19. Lucas Dussoulier scored the game-winning shot after a tight contest. Adrian Bogucki had a chance to tie the game for Poland with 1:48 remaining, but his basket only leveled the score temporarily. France’s Franck Seguela grabbed the offensive rebound from Dussoulier’s missed 2-pointer and assisted in the final, decisive shot.

Latvia, the defending champions, defeated Lithuania with Nauris Miezis leading the way. Miezis scored nine points and grabbed four rebounds, contributing significantly to Latvia’s victory. The Latvians opened a 12-4 lead early in the game, and despite Lithuania’s late rally, they managed to hold on for the win. Aurelijus Pukelis led Lithuania with eight points, but Latvia’s strong start and solid performance kept them in control.

The Netherlands also secured a victory against China. Worthy de Jong led the Dutch team with nine points and four rebounds. The Netherlands used a 5-0 run to establish an 8-4 lead and maintained their advantage throughout the game. China made a late push, closing the gap to 19-15, but de Jong’s late basket and dunk ensured the win. Ning Zhang scored seven points for China, and Jiaren Zhao added six.

These opening games set the tone for the tournament, with teams aiming to advance to the knockout stages. As the competition progresses, the stakes will only get higher, and teams will look to build on their performances and secure their spots in the next rounds.