TOKYO, July 25 (Reuters) – The top seeded Serbia stayed perfect in the men’s 3×3 Olympic basketball tournament on Sunday, while the Japanese shocked the heavily favored French team.
3×3 basketball has had numerous surprises on its debut at the Summer Games, but Serbia’s dominance has held up. The four-man team led by Dusan Domovic Bulut defeated Poland and a strong Belgian team on Sunday and was alone at the top of the men’s class with a 4-0 record.
“We weren’t teammates before, so I think we can play every game better and better,” said Bulut, the first true 3×3 basketball superstar. “We’re still exploring each other and what we can do.”
The Japanese defeated Mongolia without a win before beating France at 19:15 in the evening. The Japanese scored almost even goals, surprising their top opponents with quick passes and timely twos.
“I think one of the strengths of the Japanese team is that we cover each other and collect points to make up for our weaknesses,” said Mai Yamamoto.
The French later lost to China 13-20, leaving the team on a 1-3 record in the first two days.
“Of course we’re not having fun. We’re at the Olympic Games and we have to win,” said Frenchwoman Marie-Eve Paget. “We need to rest, take our negative thoughts out, sleep well and be ready for tomorrow.”
In a battle between the two undefeated women’s teams, the United States prevailed at 20-16 against the Russian Olympic Committee, led by an eight-point performance from Alissha Gray, who guards the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
The previously winless Mongolian women were cheered on by Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, one of the few dignitaries who made it to the scaled-down games due to the COVID-19 pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron and US First Lady Jill Biden attended a game of their compatriots as 3×3 basketball made its Olympic debut on Saturday.
Italy beat Romania 22:14, with Raelin D’Alie an impressive five on five from the two-point line. But D’Alie’s exploits were not enough to defeat the Chinese women’s team, who repeatedly fought 6’5 “Zhang Zhiting for the tires and defeated Italy 22:13. Italy are now 2-2 in the tournament ever eight teams for the men and women.
With an Olympic debut, 3×3 wants to strengthen its global profile as a faster, more compact alternative to basketball.
DJs put on hip-hop music during the 3×3 competitions to do justice to the urban roots of the sport.
The medal games take place on Wednesday.
Reporting from Rocky Swift; Adaptation by Peter Rutherford and Ed Osmond
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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