The women’s pre-Olympic 3 × 3 basketball ended in Graz and the three tickets for Tokyo 2021 have been sold. Going to Japan are France and the USA, who have won the pass by winning their respective semifinals, and Japan, which in the final for the third useful place overtook Spain.
IS France first qualified for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics in the women’s 3 × 3 basketball tournament. Against the five-circle hosts of Japan, however, the transalpines have to suffer until the end in a balanced match and where France never finds the decisive draw. After a great initial equilibrium, the first mini extension is 8-6 for France, but the Japanese have an immediate impact. Another partial of 3-0 for Le Bleus, but Japan still responds with 12-12. France leading 14-12, but the fouls weigh on the transalpine and from the line the Japanese draw 14-14. So it takes the last basket to give the 15-14 that sends France to the Olympics.
The USA are the second qualified for the Olympics after the clear victory for 21-13 against Spain. One-way match for the Americans who immediately extend to 6-2, then allow the Spaniards to return to 7-6, but then again a tear, this time decisive, at 13-6. Spain returns to -4, but is very foul and quickly wastes the bonus. Thus the USA can play both from the field and from the line and in the end they stretch decided until the final 21-13 and reach France at the Olympics, with Spain and Japan who will play last place in the final for third place.
Japan wins in extra time and the Japanese take off the ticket for the home Olympics at the last minute. Two long baskets give the first extension to the Japanese who go on 6-2. Spain reacts and returns below -1, but the Japanese do not give up and do not allow the Iberians to catch up or overtake them. Japan stretches back, but a basket from beyond the arc brings the Europeans back to a basket distance. And the draw comes first and then from beyond the arc Spain flies in the lead on 13-9. The Japanese team tries to react and returns to a distance marking from the Olympic qualification. A couple of mistakes, however, allow the Spaniards to extend again up to +5. A shot from over the arch brings Japan back to -2 one minute from the end, the Japanese score again and get the last possession 11 seconds from the end. The draw arrives and we go to extra time. Spain misses the shot from beyond the arch, commits a foul, sends Yamamoto to the free, but he scores only one out of two. Another mistake from afar from the Iberians and the Japanese go inside. Basket and Olympics won.
Photo: fiba.basketball
