PARIS — The defending champion U.S. women lost to Germany 17-13 on Tuesday in the opening game of pool play in 3×3 basketball at the Paris Olympics.
Hailey Van Lith led the U.S. with six points. But she was struggling after the game, and she said she believes the heat exacerbated an illness she already was dealing with.
“I think I actually have a cold,” she said. “I think it was from the rain in the opening ceremony. So, I think it’s a combination of that, but I’ll be fine. I played through it in the NCAA Tournament, so there’s nothing that’s going to take me out.”
Sonja Greinacher had five points and six rebounds for Germany. Marie Reichert added five points.
The U.S. raced out to a 5-0 lead, but Germany scored the next six points, including three from Elisa Mevius.
Van Lith made a layup before dishing to Dearica Hamby for another basket to cut Germany’s advantage to 11-10 with about three minutes to go.
Greinacher made a 2-point shot for Germany before another basket by Van Lith got the U.S. within one again with about 90 seconds remaining.
This time, Germany scored the next four points on two each from Greinacher and Reichert.
“It obviously gives us a lot of self-confidence going forward,” Greinacher said.
Cierra Burdick was disappointed in the team’s Olympic opener, but she said it isn’t surprising that they still have work to do since they haven’t been playing together that long. Hamby replaced Cameron Brink on the team this summer after Brink sustained a knee injury.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty,” she said. “I didn’t think it was going to be that ugly.”
CANADA 22, AUSTRALIA 14
Twins Michelle and Katherine Plouffe combined for 18 points to lead Canada past Australia.
Michelle Plouffe got things going with a 2-pointer as Canada scored the first six points. A 2-point shot by her sister made it 9-1 with about 6 1/2 minutes remaining.
Canada was up 15-2 before Australia scored the next six points, with the last three from Alex Wilson. Michelle Plouffe ended the run by scoring the next three points to pad Canada’s lead.
Katherine Plouffe sealed it when she made a basket before hitting a 2-pointer to give Canada 22 points with 1:22 left on the clock.
Wilson led Australia with six points and six rebounds.
SPAIN 18, AZERBAIJAN 16
Gracia Alonso and Vega Gimeno scored five points each as Spain outlasted Azerbaijan.
Spain trailed by one before scoring the next eight points to make it 14-7 with less than three minutes to go.
Azerbaijan responded with a 4-0 run to get within three with about 1:30 remaining.
Spain took advantage of a turnover to score the next three points, capped by a 2-pointer from Gimeno, to push the lead to 17-11.
Azerbaijan closed to 17-14 on a free throw by Dina Ulyanova with six seconds left, but Gimeno added a free throw for Spain.
Tiffany Hayes made a pair of free throws for Azerbaijan to cut the lead to two with one second left. But the clock ran out before Azerbaijan could do anything else.
Hayes led Azerbaijan with 10 points and seven rebounds.
CHINA 21, FRANCE 19, OT
Lili Wang made a 2-pointer in sudden death overtime for her only basket of the game, lifting China to the win.
France’s Hortense Limouzin made an off-balance layup as time expired in regulation, sending it to overtime and delighting the crowd.
France had missed three shots in overtime, when the first team to score two points wins, and China had missed once when Wang got the ball.
She pulled up and swished the long-range shot to give China the win. She screamed and clenched her fists after the shot as the mostly French crowd fell silent.
Mingling Chen led China with 10 points and three rebounds. France got six points from Limouzin and Marie Eve Paget added five.
