The United States’ 3x3 men’s basketball team marched on without an injured Jimmer Fredette on Friday.
While the former BYU star continued to miss time with what has been reported as a lower-body injury in a “game-to-game” situation regarding his availability, the Americans picked up a pair of crucial wins at the Olympics on Friday — first over France, then over China.
Even after the United States lost its first four games of pool play at the Paris Olympics — with Fredette sidelined after the second game — the Americans still have a chance to escape elimination once pool play wraps up.
The 21-17 victory over China was a matchup of two teams with just one win between them, and with the victory, the United States is also tied with France and Poland at 2-4 in pool play.
Each team has one game left in pool play on Sunday, after a rest day Saturday.
After pool play ends, the top six teams in the eight-team field will advance — the top two move directly into Monday’s semifinals, while teams three through six will play in two play-in games on Sunday, with the two winners earning the other two semifinal spots.
The seventh- and eighth-ranked teams in the standings after pool play will be eliminated from Olympic competition.
Yes, the Americans could very well be eliminated, but Friday’s efforts kept them alive and in contention for a play-in spot.
Carson Barry, in particular, came up with several heroic moments for the Americans on Friday.
In the 21-19 win over France, Barry helped the United States overcome an 11-6 deficit midway through the game and he scored the Americans’ final 7 points, including the 1-point winner in the final minute. He scored 16 points against the French, including four 2-pointers.
Then in the victory over China, Barry scored 14 points and made 6 of 10 from 1-point range, as well as 3 of 8 from 2-point range.
He emphatically wrapped up the victory with a 2-pointer with 36 seconds to play that gave the Americans the necessary winning 21 points.
Following the rest day, the Americans will try to make it three straight wins on Sunday. It’s a tough test, though, as they face Netherlands, which is 4-2 is pool play and tied for second among the eight teams.
Men’s pool play standings through six games
- Latvia — 6-0
- Netherlands — 4-2
- Serbia — 4-2
- Lithuania — 3-3
- France — 2-4
- Poland — 2-4
- United States — 2-4
- China — 1-5
3x3 basketball format at the Olympics
Fredette’s U.S. squad is one of eight men’s 3x3 teams taking part in the 2024 Olympics.
During the pool round, which is ongoing, each team plays each of the other seven teams. That means the U.S. team, which has played six games so far and has a record of 2-4, has at least one game left at the Olympics — one on Sunday in its pool-play finale.
At the end of the pool round, the eight 3x3 teams will be ranked according to their records, and teams will start being eliminated.
“The top two teams advance to the semifinals, while the bottom two are eliminated. The other four teams will compete in a play-in round (third vs. sixth, fourth vs. fifth), with the winners advancing to the semifinals,” per ESPN.
3x3 basketball rules
In addition to having a different tournament format than 5x5 basketball, 3x3 basketball has different rules.
- In 3x3 basketball, shots made from inside the arc are worth 1 point, while shots from beyond the arc are worth 2 points.
- Free throws are also worth 1 point.
- The game is played on a court that’s about half the size of a typical basketball court, and there’s only one basket.
- Games end when one team makes it to 21 points or after 10 minutes.
How to watch Jimmer Fredette at the Olympics
The U.S. men’s 3x3 basketball team will finish pool play with a game against Netherlands on Sunday at 11:05 a.m. MDT.
The game will stream on Peacock.