Hamby’s heroics lift U.S. women’s 3×3 basketball team over Brazil for AmeriCup gold

Tournament MVP Dearica Hamby made an off-balance, falling-down shot off a lob from Kelsey Mitchell as time expired, lifting the U.S. to a 21-20 win over Brazil in the women’s gold-medal game at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup on Sunday in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Hamby’s shot — a one-pointer, since baskets in 3×3 are worth one inside the arc and two outside the arc — capped a huge rally from the Americans. They trailed 19-13 with 2:02 left in the game, which is decided when someone reaches 21 points or when the 10-minute game clock expires.

The Americans needed only 64 seconds to tie the game. Mitchell scored, Katie Lou Samuelson — playing in her first competitive event since becoming a mother four months ago — hit back-to-back two-pointers just eight seconds apart to get the U.S. within one, and Hamby connected to tie it.

Brazil went back up 20-19, Samuelson made a free throw to tie the game again and then Hamby delivered at the buzzer for gold.

Samuelson finished with nine points in the final for the U.S., which went 5-0 in the two-day tournament. Hamby scored six, Mitchell had five and Camille Zimmerman had one for the Americans in the title game.

Canada — which won its second straight FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Final in September — went on to defeat Chile 21-8 in the bronze-medal game, being led in scoring by Paige Crozon of Humbolt, Sask., with 13 points.

In addition to Crozon, Canada’s AmeriCup roster also featured Kacie Bosch of of Lethbridge, Alta., from its championship team in September, but the Canadians were without star twin sisters Katherine and Michelle Plouffe in Puerto Rico, instead sending Saicha Patrica Grant-Allen and Jamie Scott.