Jimmer Fredette, Team USA 3×3 Fall To Serbia In Olympics Opener
Jul 30, 2024, 3:35 PM | Updated: 3:39 pm
PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 30: Mihailo Vasic #9 of Team Serbia shoots the ball against Jimmer Fredette #5 of Team United States during a Men's Pool Round on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Esplanade Des Invalides on July 30, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
PARIS – The historic Team USA 3×3 men’s national team suffered defeat in their Olympics opener.
On Tuesday night, Team USA, in their first-ever Olympics contest as an organization, lost to Serbia 22-14 at Place de la Concorde in Paris.
Final in #3×3 Pool Play: Serbia 22, USA 14
Serbia was a perfect 12/12 on 1-point shots. #3x3MNT was 10/16.
Jimmer Fredette finished with four points, one rebound.#Paris2024 #Olympics @kslsports
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) July 30, 2024
Former BYU legend Jimmer Fredette scored four points and had one rebound. He played the most minutes for Team USA in a physical game against a Serbia squad that entered the Olympic Games as a gold medal favorite.
Team USA 3×3 falls to Serbia, 22-14
Serbia was flawless inside the arc, shooting a perfect 12-of-12 on 1-point shots. Serbia hit three 2-pointers from beyond the arc compared to the USA’s two.
One of those two-pointers was courtesy of Fredette early in the game, giving Team USA a 3-2 lead. It was a vintage Fredette move: a display of great handles, a step back, and firing it off from deep.
That's vintage Jimmer with the handle, step back, knocking down the shot from beyond the arc.#BYU #3×3 #3x3MNT #Paris2024 @kslsports
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) July 30, 2024
Jimmer Fredette finished with four points
Team USA built up an 8-5 lead with 6:38 remaining. During that run by Team USA, the NBC announcers referred to Fredette as “The Lonely Master,” a nickname he gained while playing in China for the Shanghai Sharks.
From there, the bigger Serbian National Team attacked the paint. They capped off a 4-0 run to regain the lead after a two-pointer from Marko Brankovic.
The venue Jimmer will play #3×3 at in just a few hours (2:30 pm Mountain Time).#Paris2024 #Olympics @KSL5TV @kslsports pic.twitter.com/gGisAXNyfM
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_TV) July 30, 2024
Turning point of the game
The turning point in the game was at the 4:12 mark. Down 13-11, Team USA’s Canyon Barry made a spin move in the paint, and his left elbow hit Serbia’s Mihailo Vasic in the face. After an official review, the referees deemed the contact an unsportsmanlike foul.
Vasic hit one of the two free-throw attempts. Because of the unsportsmanlike foul, Serbia maintained possession and capitalized with a Brankovic one-point shot, giving Serbia a 15-11 lead.
Team USA never cut into that deficit. Their struggles were highlighted down 17-12 when Fredette missed a wide-open layup in the paint.
Serbia takes it.
The 🇺🇸 #3x3MNT returns to action tomorrow against 🇵🇱 Poland at 4:35 pm ET.#Paris2024 #3x3Basketball pic.twitter.com/TF2CNoZblH
— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) July 30, 2024
Serbia closed the game with a two-pointer from “Dr. Strange” Strahinja Sojacic at the top of the arc. He finished with seven points, while Marko Brankovic scored a game-high eight points.
Next up for Team USA 3×3
Team USA will be back in action tomorrow at 2:35 p.m. (MT) for another Pool Play matchup against Poland on KSL 5 TV and Peacock.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
