COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Oct. 2, 2023) – USA Basketball announced today, pending U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee approval, the men’s and women’s 2023 USA 3x3 Pan American Teams set to compete at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. The XIX Pan American Games begin Oct. 20 with the 3x3 basketball competition Oct. 21-24 at Estadio Español in Las Condes, Chile.
The 2023 USA 3x3 Men’s Pan American Team features the same squad that represents USA Basketball as Team Miami on the 2023 FIBA 3x3 Men’s World Tour and includes Canyon Barry, Jimmer Fredette, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis. Joe Lewandowski, who has been coaching and advising the USA 3x3 program since 2014, will serve as the head coach.
Recently the quartet won the 2023 FIBA 3x3 Cebu Masters, the first American team to win a FIBA 3x3 World Tour event since 2019. The team also captured the silver medal at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup and brought home the gold at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup. They were also the runner-up at the 2023 USA Basketball 3X Nationals.
Barry and Maddox are both longtime 3x3 competitors and members of two USA 3x3 World Cup Teams (2023, 2019). Fredette and Travis made their USA Basketball debuts at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.
The USA men open with Group A play against Mexico (2:30 p.m. ET) and El Salvador (6:30 p.m. ET) on Oct. 21. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Oct. 22. The semifinals and gold medal game are set for Oct. 23.
The 2023 USA 3x3 Women’s Pan American Team is represented by Cierra Burdick, Blake Dietrick, Lexie Hull and Azurá Stevens. Jen Rizzotti, who has USA Basketball 5-on-5 and 3x3 coaching experience, will serve as the head coach.
Burdick is a two-time gold medalist for the USA at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup (2023, 2014) and has played in the event three times. Her first USA 3x3 experience was in 2009 and she is actively involved in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series for USA Basketball.
Dietrick has played for the U.S. at various 3x3 events since 2021, including stops on the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series. Along with Burdick, the duo recently competed for the USA at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Final and previously won gold at the 2021 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.
Hull won bronze at the 2022 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup and silver at 2022 FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup.
Stevens will make her USA Basketball 3x3 debut but previously competed for the red, white and blue at the 2015 FIBA U19 Women’s World Championship (5-on-5) and won gold.
The USA women will play in Group A and their first matchup is against Dominican Republic (5:00 p.m. ET) on Oct. 21. Their next group contest is on Oct. 22 against Mexico (12:00 p.m. ET) and if they advance then they will play in the quarterfinals later that day. The semifinals and gold medal game are scheduled for Oct. 23.
The USA enters the 2023 Pan American Games as the defending men’s and women’s gold medalists. In 2019, when 3x3 debuted at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, the Americans captured the men’s gold over Puerto Rico and the women’s gold against Argentina.
The 2023 Pan American Games will stream for free on the Panam Sports Channel mobile and television application, panamsportschannel.org and YouTube.com/Panamsports. For more on the 2023 Pan American Games, click here.
Different than 5-on-5, 3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams “clear” the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.
The 2023 USA 3x3 Women’s Pan American Team will train in Atlanta Oct. 15-17 before traveling to Chile. Media interested in covering training camp may apply for credentials by emailing communications@usabasketball.com.