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The 2025 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup gold medal-winning foursome of Allisha Gray, Veronica Burton, Naz Hillmon and Shakira Austin are back on the court, representing USA Basketball at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup in Bangkok, Thailand.
It’s the first time the American women are competing in this event, and they finished 3-0 in pool play to advance to the semifinals. On Sunday at 2:15 a.m. ET, they’ll meet Azerbaijan for spot in the final, which is scheduled for 6:05 a.m. ET. Both games will be livestreamed on the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel.
Here’s more on how the Americans swept through pool play and into the semis.
Team USA demonstrated developing dominance against Madgascar
In opening the tournament against Madgascar, the Africa Cup champions, the group of Gray, Burton, Hillmon and Austin immediately asserted their dominance with a 21-5 win, showing little trouble adjusting from the 3×3 fullcourt of Unrivaled to the 3×3 halfcourt of FIBA.
Compared to their first major competition together at the AmeriCup last November, the Americans demonstrated increased cohesion and improved strategy. Team USA rapidly transitioned from defense to offense, frequently grabbing the defensive board, firing it behind the arc to formalize the change in possession and then immediately beginning their offensive attack.
Regardless of the three who were on the court, the ball quickly pinged from player to player, often finding Hillmon or Austin for a score in the post. Although both missed a few bunnies, the process was a sign of progress.
Overall, Team USA prioritized scores at the basket or behind the arc, eschewing midrangers for a more analytically-inclined shot profile. As shots from beyond the arc are worth two points compared to one point for inside-the-arc shots, the deep ball is an even bigger weapon in this 3×3 setting.
Hillmon showed off her value as a stretch big, going 2-for-2 on long-range shots. Gray also hit a pair from behind the arc, while Burton drained one of her attempts. Team USA finished 5-for-9 on 2-pointers, compared to Madagascar’s 1-for-3 performance.
That was eight extra points for the Americans, on top of their already overwhelming talent advantage.
So, it’s no surprise that Team USA cruised to a win, with Gray leading the way with eight points and Hillmon scoring seven. Austin led the US on the boards with six.
Gray led as Team USA gutted out a win over the Netherlands
Of the eight teams in the tournament, Madagascar was the lowest ranked, making them an inviting initial opponent for Team USA. In contrast, their next opponent, Netherlands, was the highest-rated team in the tournament field. The Americans entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed.
Despite the increase in competition, Team USA again came out on top, albeit by a much tighter margin, 21-18.
Team USA failed to flex their behind-the-arc scoring in this one, but an eight-rebound advantage gave the Americans the extra opportunities the needed to gut out the win. The Americans never fell behind, but the game was tied on multiple occasions as the Dutch prevented the US from ever pulling away.
Team USA had a one-point lead with under two minutes to go, when three-straight buckets from Burton, Gray and Austin seemed to seal the deal for the US, only for the Netherlands to hit a 2-pointer. Gray, however, finished the job with another bucket to push the Americans to 21 points.
Gray’s 11 points led Team USA, with Austin contributing seven; both players also corralled six rebounds.
Team USA’s persistence again paid off against Australia
Team USA’s final pool play match was again Australia, and the game unfolded similarly to the prior contest against the Netherlands. The US never trailed, yet they could never run away to the win, eventually escaping with a 18-15 victory as time expired before the 21-point winning score was reached.
While the Dutch stuck with the Americans through efficient shotmaking, the Aussies brought brought physicality. Another down performance from deep—1-for-9 on 2-pointers—also made things more difficult for the US.
However, this group is showing they can meet the moment and win in multiple ways.
The US again was all over the glass, battling their way to 13-rebound advantage. Hillmon grabbed 10 total rebounds, five defensive and five offensive.
With just over a minute remaining, Burton was fouled, with her two made free throws giving the US a 17-12 lead, their largest of the game. From there, another basket from Gray was enough to stave off the Aussies.
Gray again assumed the scoring lead with six points, while Hillmon scored five to complement her board work. Austin also grabbed eight boards and scored four points.
Team USA is collecting trophies ahead of 2028
If they advance to the final, Team USA will meet the Netherlands or Canada. Considering they already have a win over the Netherlands and defeated Canada to win the AmeriCup, the Americans should be confident in their ability to take the trophy.
More importantly, it is encouraging to see USA Basketball invest in this 3×3 team, giving the foursome the opportunity to consistently compete together in major competitions that, hopefully, will culminate in a return to the top of the podium at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
