© Sportreport
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The USA, France and Japan for women, Poland, the Netherlands and Latvia for men have their Olympic ticket solved in the Thunderome. In incredibly exciting games, the 3 × 3 world elite gave each other nothing and offered the fans in Graz a spectacular show. Tokyo is now waiting as a reward.
It’s unbelievable how close the field is in 3 × 3 basketball. In the end, teams from the extended circle of favorites prevailed. However, some of the top contenders for a successful Olympic qualification (such as the USA and France for men or Australia and Spain for women) were left empty-handed.
France (women)
The first team to buy a ticket for the Summer Games were the French, whose games on Sunday were not for the faint of heart. First they defeated Hungary in the quarter-finals in extra time 18:17. In the fight for the final qualification, another basketball thriller prevailed 15:14 against the previously dominant Japanese. Above all, the versatile winger Migna Touré left her mark on the two games with a total of 16 points.
Marie-Eve Paget, France player: “We’re going to Tokyo, I’m so happy. You can’t imagine how the last three or four years we’ve worked for it have been. There were a lot of hurdles, there was the pandemic. But we showed on the field that we are an Olympic team. We did it, I’m so proud of my team. “
USA (Women)
In the next semi-final game, the Americans left no doubt that they will have a say in the fight for the gold medal in Tokyo. With a dominant performance they dealt with the so far sovereign Spaniards (21:13). Before that, Team USA had made short work of Belarus in the quarter-finals (21:10). Especially with the high speed of the US 3 × 3 women, who showed a very balanced team performance in both games, no team could keep up on Sunday.
Kelsey Plum, USA player: “I just want to say thank you: thank you to God, my mother, all my family, my friends. And also USA basketball, they believed in me (Plum had torn his Achilles tendon in summer 2020, note) and of course my teammates. That was a battle, respect to Spain. But we’re going to the games now! We had camps and prepared ourselves intensively. We gave everything and sacrificed a lot to be in this position. We are really proud. “
Poland (men)
In the men’s category, the Polish 3 × 3 national team was the first to celebrate a place at the Olympic Games. However, the team around star player Michael Hicks had to defeat two absolute basketball powers on the way to Tokyo. In the quarter-finals, the Poles prevailed relatively clearly against Slovenia – mainly thanks to an outstanding performance by shooting guard Przemyslaw Zamojski (ten points). In the semifinals, the entire team grew beyond themselves, so that the big tournament favorite Latvia was put in their place with 20:18. Hicks, whose late mother had always wished to see her son at the Olympics, was particularly emotional after the game.
Michael Hicks, Poland player: “That’s incredible. Before my mother died, she sent me a message that she wanted to see me at the Olympics. I would like to thank the team, we fought until the last second. The past six weeks have been so difficult, words fail me. We knew we could beat them. Since I’ve been playing for Poland, we’ve never lost to them, and I didn’t want to let that happen today either. “
Netherlands (men)
How quickly everything can change in 3 × 3, the Dutch proved several times during the tournament. The “Oranjes” came as one of the favorites for a place at the Games in Japan. In Group D, the “death group”, in which Austria was also, they started with two defeats. But the Dutch didn’t write off their Olympic dream so quickly, ended the group stage with two wins and barely slipped into the quarter-finals. The mighty USA were waiting there, but they didn’t scare the Dutch 3x3ers. With an unbelievable team performance and strong performance from a distance, they gave the basketball nation no chance and ended the duel early (21:16). Pumped up with self-confidence, they finally made short work of France in the semi-finals (21:13) and thus the sensation was perfect.
Dimeo van der Horst, Netherlands player: “We are so happy, after the tournament kicked off it was a great one. We have always believed in ourselves and have worked so hard for it over the past few years. It wasn’t an easy path with injuries and Covid. But we never stopped working and believed in Tokyo. It is like a dream.”
Japan (women)
The Japanese, who blossomed into an absolute crowd-pleaser in Graz, had a lot of pressure before the qualifier, as it was about the summer games in their own country. That is why they started the quarter-finals against Switzerland at the high pace they are now familiar with. The Swiss, who had just overtaken Austria in the group stage in the last game, had problems from the beginning to hold the Japanese in front of them, so that they won an undisputed 20:13 victory in the quarter-finals. It was much more competitive in the semi-finals, where the host country of the games against France was left behind with 14:15.
However, the failed semi-finalists still got a chance in the battle for the Olympics. Japan’s opponents were the physically clearly superior Spaniards. They already looked like the sure winners when they went for plus four two minutes before the end. But the Japanese 3 × 3 women’s team put in an incredible show of strength and saved themselves into overtime four seconds before the final whistle. There they prevailed with 20:18 and fulfilled their dream of participating in the Olympics in their own country.
Stephanie Mawuli, Japan player: “We did it, I’m so happy. I am so proud of the team. Thanks also to the Germans who trained with us. “
Latvia (men)
In the last game of the evening, the 3 × 3 powers Latvia and France faced each other. The Latvians had surprisingly been left behind in the semifinals against Poland. The French lost out to Holland. The question for both teams was who would have more energy left in the third match of the day. The Latvians in particular had two very exhausting games behind them with Lithuania (21:19 victory) and Poland (18:20 defeat).
But the big tournament favorites made it clear from the start that they would not afford another slip on the way to Tokyo. After three minutes it was already 12: 6 for the Balts. Led by the duo Edgars Krumins and Karlis Lasmanis, they did not let the Équipe Tricolore come close and took the safe 21:15 victory. The Latvians achieved the big goal of the Olympics in the very last game on Graz main square.
Nauris Miezis, Latvia player: “We did the job, I’m really exhausted now. I have to thank the whole team and the coach. Olympia was a dream that is now coming true. “
MVP-Awards
The award for most valuable player of the tournament went to the 22-year-old Japanese Stephanie Mawuli. The versatile winger, who can also be used under the basket, scored an average of just under seven points and four rebounds. The “team of the tournament” is complemented by WNBA star Kelsey Plum from the USA and the French Migna Touré.
For the men, Nauris Miezis was chosen as MVP, who is currently also listed by FIBA as the best 3 × 3 player in the world. He averaged five points and four rebounds. In addition to the Latvian, the Dutch sniper Arvin Slagter and the Pole Michael Hicks were voted into the top three.
The last Olympic ticket will be awarded in Hungary
For six women’s and six men’s teams there is still the chance to get a very last Olympic ticket for Tokyo. The FIBA 3 × 3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2021 will be held from June 4th to 6th in Debrecen, Hungary. Among the women are Hungary, Iran, the Netherlands, Italy and Taiwan. A sixth team will move up from the waiting list. For the men, Hungary, Mongolia, Slovenia, Belgium, Ukraine and Romania will match each other.
Presseinfo Basketball Austria
30.05.2021
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