By Rocky Swift
TOKYO (Reuters) – Top-seeded Serbia remained perfect in the Olympic men’s 3×3 basketball tournament in Tokyo on Sunday after coming from behind to beat Poland to win their third straight game.
The Russian Olympic Committee team, seeded second, were upset 21-16 by Belgium, who are now 2-1 after downing the powerhouse Latvian squad on Saturday.
“It’s only three games, so that’s four more to play in the next three days. So we have stay focused,” said Serbia’s Dejan Majstorovic, who had four points in Sunday’s 15-12 victory over Poland. “Everybody can beat everybody.”
In the morning games, Japan’s women improved to 2-1 with a 19-10 win over winless Mongolia, who were cheered on courtside by the country’s Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, one of few dignitaries to make it to the scaled down Games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. first lady Jill Biden attended a game between their countrywomen on Saturday as 3×3 basketball made its Olympic debut https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/on-3×3-basketball-tokyo-olympics-2021-06-21.
Italy overcame Romania 22-14 with Raelin D’Alie an impressive five-for-five from the two-point line. The Italians are now 2-1, while the Romanians are 0-3.
The Russians and Americans, who have games later on Sunday, top the table after winning their opening two games.
With an Olympics debut, 3×3 is looking to boost its global profile as a faster-paced, more compact alternative to basketball. The game is played on a half court and a team wins by reaching 21 points or having the most baskets by the end of the 10-minute game clock. A regular basket is worth one point, while one beyond the outer arc is worth two.
DJs play hip-hop music throughout competition 3×3 games, in keeping with the sport’s urban roots.
The medal matches will take place on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
