Australia’s 3 on 3 women’s basketball team have taken home silver after going down to the Chinese in a thriller, 33-29, at Scape Youth Space, Singapore.

It was standing room only as the Aussies fought hard but just couldn’t claw back an 11 point half time deficit despite an amazing 16 point second half haul from tournament star and Australian Captain Olivia Bontempelli.

The margin was down to a single basket, 24-21, with under three minutes to go, but the Chinese managed to finish the game as they started stopping the game with 4.1secs left after reaching 33 points.

“I can’t even explain it,” Australia’s Mikhaela Donnelly said.

“Just getting a medal at all and finishing this high in the competition is just such a privilege and I’m so proud of every single one of our girls. We gave it all we had and I think we deserve it.”

Despite appearing to have been down and out, the Aussies showed their grit and determination that has typified the way they have progressed throughout the tournament.

“I think we just thought that if we gave up there wasn’t any point us being here anyway, we worked as hard as we could, we may as well give it all we’ve got and we did. They were just the better team on the day.”

Hannah Kaser kicked off the game’s scoring as she got her own rebound and converted an easy lay in, before the Chinese began to hit their shots as they went on a 12-2 run to have the Aussies down 12-4 early.

Bontempelli opened her account midway through the term to reduce the lead to six, but the Chinese continued to match everything the Aussies were doing eventually closing out the first half with a long jumper from Ma Xueya that had the green and gold looking at a 20-9 half time deficit.

Down by 11 with only five minutes on the clock, the Australian’s had a big task ahead but appeared up to it as Bontempelli got hot and led her team out of the half with a 9-2 run to have the Aussies back within four.

The captain got the run underway making a free throw, before Kaser hit one of her trademark threes from the carpark. Bontempelli then scored the next five, driving hard to the basket to hit a layup and then followed it up with a three point play to have it at 22-18.

With the Aussies on the fightback their opponents finally kicked into gear as they held the green and gold to a four point deficit midway through the second half.

Kaser had the opportunity to bring it back within two, but only hit one free throw to have the game poised at 24-21.

After a free throw from Ma, both teams hit threes with Shen Yi and Kaser getting hot from downtown.

The teams continued to trade baskets as Bomtempelli got the Aussies to within four with under two minutes to go.

Australia then fouled the Chinese as Ma hit both to break the backs of the Aussies. Bontempelli and her teammates weren’t going down without a fight though, as the captain hit a three to get the scores to 32-29.

The game ended seconds later with Jin Jiabao taking the Chinese to 33 and sealing the gold medal in a tightly fought contest.

“It just means the world to me,” said offensive gun Bontempelli.

“Whether we got a gold, a silver or a bronze, whether we didn’t even place with a medal is just fantastic. We all worked really hard through these games, in these conditions so we’re really happy with how we ended up.”

With arguably the hardest run through to the finals, the Aussie team got better and better as they got deeper and deeper in the tournament, but just couldn’t pull it off against the Chinese. This however didn’t dampen the spirits of a gutsy Australian team that did their family and fans in the stand and their country extremely proud.

“I’ll have the fondest memories of this tournament and this opportunity. I’m just really grateful and thankful for everything I’ve received now and I’m just looking forward to going back home now and being a regular kid.”

Earlier in the day Team USA, the tournament favourites who the Aussies knocked out in the semi finals, took out the Bronze as they dominated Canada 34-16. 

Matt Bartolo
AOC