Team USA’s opening 3×3 women’s basketball game at the 2024 Olympics didn’t go as planned — and part of the outcome may have been due to illness.
Following the squad’s 17-13 loss to Germany on Tuesday, guard Hailey Van Lith said she was under the weather, although she didn’t seem to be making excuses.
“I think I actually have a cold,” she said, according to the Associated Press. “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.”
The former LSU and incoming TCU star led the Americans with six points on 5 of 9 shooting while also chipping in three rebounds.
Meanwhile, the rest of her three teammates — Dearica Hamby, Cierra Burdick and Rhyne Howard — combined for just seven points while going 6-for-19 from the field.
In Tokyo in 2021, the unit of Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Allisha Gray and Stefanie Dolson notched gold during the first-ever Olympic rendition of 3×3 basketball.
While with the Tigers last season, Van Lith averaged 11.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game as LSU reached the Elite Eight before falling to Caitlin Clark and Iowa.
Meanwhile, the courts from La Concorde proved troublesome for the American men, too.
Team USA’s men’s squad — with former BYU star Jimmer Fredette — lost to Serbia, 22-14, to start its pool play on Tuesday.
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Van Lith and the women’s team will return to the court Wednesday against Azerbaijan.
Despite a rocky beginning, the silver lining for Team USA is that it still has a bevy of opportunities to prove its mettle for another gold medal.
The Americans will also square off with Australia, Spain, France, Canada and China, playing each of the next four days and even going to battle twice on Thursday and Friday.
