Just two days of pool play remain in both the men's and women's 3x3 basketball competition, and with each team playing two games across four total sessions, Friday will go a long way to determining which teams advance to the semifinals and play-in games this weekend. Both the U.S. men and women have plenty of ground to make up to avoid elimination after a rough start to their respective tournaments, while medal contenders are just beginning to emerge.
Follow along for all the action from Place de La Concorde on Friday.
Team USA
Women: United States 14, France 13
After a tough start to their gold-medal defense in Paris, the U.S. women are now making a real run at the play-in round with two straight wins. Team USA followed up a win over Spain on Thursday night with a heart-stopping victory over host nation France on Friday morning, Dearica Hamby producing the game-winning layup with just four seconds to go.
It seemed like the U.S. might be headed for another brutal loss, after a 13-10 lead turned into 13-13 tie on Marie-Eve Paget's long-range two with less than 20 seconds remaining. But Hamby came up huge, leading a balanced American attack in which three different players scored four points.
The win brings the U.S. to 2-3, with a chance to get back to .500 this afternoon against Canada.
Women: United States 18, Canada 17 (OT)
Don't call it a comeback. That now makes it three in a row for the U.S. women, who stormed back in the final minute to knock off 3-1 Canada and get back to .500.
Team USA trailed 16-13 with under a minute to go, but after a quick Rhyne Howard basket, Hailey Van Lith drilled a huge two-pointer to tie things up and eventually force overtime.
Canada scored first in the extra session, but this time it was Howard's turn to play hero, hitting a preposterous leaning two from the corner to walk off with a huge win.
It was a balanced effort across the board from the U.S., with all four players scoring at least three points and Howard leading the way with seven. The result is a huge boost for U.S. hopes of moving on to the play-in games this weekend, as the Americans are now clear of both Azerbaijan and China in the standings.
Next up is the final pool play game tomorrow, against China at 1 p.m. ET.
Men: United States 21, France 19
This is turning into a banner day for the U.S., as the men's squad — playing without substitutions as Jimmer Fredette remains out with a groin injury — showed tremendous grit in a come-from-behind win over France on Friday afternoon.
With Fredette out, Canyon Barry fully put Team USA on his back, scoring a whopping 15 of his team's 21 points while shooting 7-of-13 overall and 4-of-7 from two-point range.
The U.S. trailed for most of the game, including deficits of 11-6 and 16-12. But a circus two from Dylan Travis kept hope alive, and then Barry scored the team's final seven points — including two underhanded free throws to give the U.S. a 20-18 lead and then a leaner off glass to seal the win.
At 1-4, the U.S. still has its work cut out for it to get out of the final two spots in the standings and move on to the play-in games this weekend. But with a game against China still on tap on Friday, hope is very much alive.
Men: United States 21, China 17
Behind another stellar game by Barry, Team USA carried the momentum from their first win on Friday into the evening session matchup against China, ultimately winning 21-17.
Barry once again lead the team to victory scoring 14 of the U.S.'s 21 points. As the final seconds of the clock ticked away, Barry nailed a clutch two-pointer to clinch the win. Barry went 6-of-10 overall and 3-of-8 from two-point range. The win moves the U.S. to 2-4, squarely in position to earn a spot in the play-in round if it can win its final pool-play game on Sunday against the Netherlands.
Notable women's pool-play games
Germany 18, China 15
Coming off a two-win Thursday, Germany added another W to the tally to move to 4-1 in pool play and put itself in great position to advance straight to the semifinals.
Stella Reichert scored 7 points, including three of Germany's final five to break a 13-13 tie.
China, led by Chen Mingling's 6 points, dropped to 2-3 in pool play and has work to do to shore up its play-in position.
Spain 21, Australia 17
Spain gave its play-in odds a huge boost in its first game on Friday, topping 4-1 Australia to move to 3-2 in pool play. Spain shot just 5-of-12 from inside the arc, but a 5-of-9 effort from two-point range along with six free throws keyed the win.
Vega Gimeno and Sandra Ygueravide combined for 18 of Spain's points, including the last four — all from the free-throw line.
Spain's tough schedule continues with a matchup against Canada later Friday, while Australia is done for the day after defeating Azerbaijan earlier in the morning.
Spain 22, Canada 20 (OT)
What a day for the Spanish women at La Concorde. Each of these teams entered at 3-2 and knew that the path to a top-two finish (and automatic entry into the semifinals this weekend) went through this game.
They played like it: Neither side led by more than three throughout, with Spain holding a slight edge until the closing minutes. Canada seemed on the verge of snatching an unlikely victory after a late 5-0 run from sisters Michelle and Katherine Plouffe turned a 18-14 deficit into a 19-18 lead with 30 seconds left.
But Sandra Ygueravide (10 points, 4-of-5 from two-point range) was once again a star for Spain, hitting a two-pointer to force overtime and then hitting another on the first possession to send everyone home.
Spain now sits at 4-2 and can clinch a spot in the semis with a final win on Saturday, while Canada is likely resigned to a play-in spot.
Notable men's pool play games
Netherlands 21, Poland 17
A goal-tending call against Poland's Adrian Bogucki ended this one. With the Netherlands attacking the basket, Bogucki tipped a shot off the rim, resulting in the deciding point.
Tied 14-14, the Netherlands began to pull away late thanks to a balanced effort, with three players each scoring 6 points in the game.
The Netherlands moved to 3-2 in pool play while Poland dropped to 2-3.
Latvia 22, France 20
Latvia just will not be denied. In what might have been the game of the tournament so far, the reigning gold medalists remained undefeated in pool play thanks to Nauris Miezis' bank-shot two-pointer with less than a minute on the clock.
Miezis continues to light it up from long range, shooting 4-of-6 from behind the arc while Francis Lacis (eight points, four rebounds) does work inside. Franck Seguela led the way for France with 10 points, including the game-tying jumper to cap a rally from 20-17 down with just over a minute to go.
Latvia's win sets up a massive showdown with current world No. 1 Serbia on Friday afternoon, while France (2-3) will look to solidify its spot in the play-in round against the U.S.
Other results
Men's
Morning session 1:
Lithuania 21, China 16
Morning session 2:
Netherlands 19, Lithuania 18
Evening session 1:
Serbia 21, Poland 12
Women's
Morning session 1:
Australia 21, Azerbaijan 12
Afternoon session 1:
Azerbaijan 21, China 19
Afternoon session 2:
Germany 14, France 13