University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: USA Basketball
Bailey Reaches USA Basketball 3X3 Gold Medal Game
May 6, 2019 | Women's Basketball
Las Vegas - North Carolina All-ACC center Janelle Bailey guided her team to the finals of the Red Bull USA Basketball 3x3 Nationals this past weekend. However, national player of the year Sabrina Ionescu and her Oregon side edged Bailey's club named the Drive, 21-20, in the gold medal game on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Downtown Events Center.
The Drive earned a 4-0 record in preliminary play, and advanced to the title game by defeating Michigan 17-9 in its quarterfinals play-in game, Arizona State 14-12 in overtime in the quarterfinals and a 20-12 victory over NC State in the semifinals.
Ionescu scored 17 points and assisted on her team's other four points in leading Oregon to back-to-back gold medals in the event.
Ionescu hit her first 2 early for the game's first points, but Drive fired back and moved ahead 7-4. Oregon battled back, but Drive answered each time the Ducks got close. With Drive up 14-10, however, Ionescu went to work and scored five in a 6-0 run that put Oregon ahead 16-14.
Rhyne Howard, who scored 11 points for Drive, knocked down a two to knot the game at 16-all. The score went back and forth with 22 seconds on the clock, Bailey tied it up again, 20-20.
The final point by Ionescu – a free throw with 13.9 seconds left on the clock gave her side the 21 points needed for the win.
Bailey won a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup and later was named USA Basketball's 2017 Female Athlete of the Year.
The two-day event, which was held outside in Las Vegas for the first time since it was launched in 2012, also served as the 2019 USA Basketball Women's 3x3 National Team trials, as all eligible athletes are in consideration for selection to the 2019 USA Women's 2019 U.S. Pan American Games 3x3 Basketball Team. That team will be announced following the May 16-20 trials for the women's five-on-five Pan Am Games squad.
Olympic fans will see the launch of a new basketball discipline with the inclusion of 3x3 in 2020. The exciting and fast-paced game officially was unveiled in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and has since become a fan favorite at FIBA 3x3 World Cup events. Played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner. The non-stop action of 3x3 will ensure it is one of the hottest tickets in Tokyo, and fans in Las Vegas will get an early taste of that excitement during the USA Basketball 3x3 Nationals.
The Drive earned a 4-0 record in preliminary play, and advanced to the title game by defeating Michigan 17-9 in its quarterfinals play-in game, Arizona State 14-12 in overtime in the quarterfinals and a 20-12 victory over NC State in the semifinals.
Ionescu scored 17 points and assisted on her team's other four points in leading Oregon to back-to-back gold medals in the event.
Ionescu hit her first 2 early for the game's first points, but Drive fired back and moved ahead 7-4. Oregon battled back, but Drive answered each time the Ducks got close. With Drive up 14-10, however, Ionescu went to work and scored five in a 6-0 run that put Oregon ahead 16-14.
Rhyne Howard, who scored 11 points for Drive, knocked down a two to knot the game at 16-all. The score went back and forth with 22 seconds on the clock, Bailey tied it up again, 20-20.
The final point by Ionescu – a free throw with 13.9 seconds left on the clock gave her side the 21 points needed for the win.
Bailey won a gold medal at the 2017 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup and later was named USA Basketball's 2017 Female Athlete of the Year.
The two-day event, which was held outside in Las Vegas for the first time since it was launched in 2012, also served as the 2019 USA Basketball Women's 3x3 National Team trials, as all eligible athletes are in consideration for selection to the 2019 USA Women's 2019 U.S. Pan American Games 3x3 Basketball Team. That team will be announced following the May 16-20 trials for the women's five-on-five Pan Am Games squad.
Olympic fans will see the launch of a new basketball discipline with the inclusion of 3x3 in 2020. The exciting and fast-paced game officially was unveiled in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and has since become a fan favorite at FIBA 3x3 World Cup events. Played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner. The non-stop action of 3x3 will ensure it is one of the hottest tickets in Tokyo, and fans in Las Vegas will get an early taste of that excitement during the USA Basketball 3x3 Nationals.
Players Mentioned
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