3×3 Basketball Players Make Mincemeat of USA and Advance to Semifinals

The Dutch 3×3 basketball team qualified for the semi-finals of the Olympic Games with a convincing win.

The United States lost 21-6 in Paris, but that win was enough to secure second place in the group and a place in the semifinals.

In the semi-finals, the Netherlands will play on Monday against Lithuania, who beat Poland in the intermediate round. The intermediate round is the round in which numbers three to six can get a place in the semi-finals.

Thanks to Lithuania’s win over Serbia earlier Sunday, the Netherlands had every chance of advancing to the semifinals in second place. Against the Americans, who had only three players fit due to former NBA player Jimmer Fredette’s groin injury and were unable to make substitutions, the Netherlands first trailed 3-1. Then the Netherlands took matters into their own hands. At the halfway stage, the flag-bearer, Worthy de Jong, led 12-5.

In the remaining five minutes, the Netherlands, with Arvin Slagter (3 of 3 two-pointers) and De Jong (11 points) in particular, shooting well, got further and further away. With more than three minutes left, the score was 21-6 and the game was over. The country that reaches 21 first wins, otherwise the score is applied after ten minutes.

In addition to Slagter and De Jong, Jan Driessen and Demio van der Horst also played for the Dutch national team.