As it happened, the U.S. women’s 3×3 basketball team had a rocky beginning to their title defense, losing 13-17 to Germany in their opening game on Tuesday. But don’t expect legendary head coach Dawn Staley to dwell on this setback, as she didn’t let the loss to Germany linger long.

Staley shifted her focus right away, concentrating on lifting the players’ spirits and making them aware that it was not over. Taking to her X account, Dawn Staley tweeted, “Bounce back ladies….bounce back! @USA3x3.” Now, it’ll be interesting to see how this morale-boosting message from the coach impacts Hailey Van Lith and the rest of Team USA when they face Azerbaijan next. But, before that let’s discuss what exactly cost Team USA the game.

The most seasoned player in the squad, Cierra Burdick stated, “We’re the most inexperienced team here. We’ve got a lot of skill, a lot of talent, but that doesn’t win 3×3 games. That was a prime example today.” Germany capitalized on Team USA’s lack of experience, exploiting their defense with clever box-outs and pick-and-roll plays. With just a few minutes left on the clock, Germany had already built a comfortable lead and forced the Americans to rush their shots. The nail in the coffin came when German sharpshooter Marie Reichert was left wide open for a corner three-pointer. That shot put Germany up by four with barely a minute to go, essentially sealing the deal.

The USA might have trailed, but Hailey Van Lith was a one-woman show for them, as the lady was scoring from everywhere. She put up a valiant effort with an all-around performance but her six points weren’t enough for the victory. Team USA struggled when Van Lith sat down as the offense seemed to grind to a halt. Too often, the U.S. found themselves resorting to one-on-one play, which wasn’t cutting it against tougher competition. 

Given the circumstances, this performance isn’t all that surprising. After all, the U.S. 3×3 women’s basketball team has only had two weeks of practice together due to a string of injuries.

Injuries have made it difficult for Team USA and Dawn Staley

The U.S. women’s 3×3 team has been hit hard by injuries. Any team’s morale can break if they lose a first-choice player ahead of a big event like the Olympics. Team USA was originally supposed to have Cameron Brink, a top WNBA draft pick, but she tore her ACL just last month. That injury led to the addition of Dearica Hamby to replace Brink.

But Hamby is completely new to the 3×3 game and hasn’t had much time to develop chemistry with the rest of the team. To make matters worse, Rhyne Howard, another key player, injured her ankle a month ago. She’s still recovering and that was very much evident in the match against Germany. 

Despite the tough start and injuries, Hailey Van Lith is keeping her spirits high. “It’s not a one-game tournament. It’s a 10- or 11-game tournament. We have a lot of games left. We’re going to be fine,” said the 22-year-old. It’s worth remembering that this team has been here before. They lost their first game at the last 2023 3×3 World Cup and came back to win gold. 

With six more pool games to go before the knockout rounds, the U.S. has a chance to regroup and find their rhythm. Hopefully, the team will keep coach Dawn Staley’s five words of wisdom close to heart and come out firing in their next game.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.