Women's Basketball . October 15, 2016

Jennings Helps USA to FIBA 3x3 World Championship Bronze

Oct. 15, 2016

COLUMBIA, S.C. ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢’Â¬” South Carolina junior forward Alexis Jennings helped USA Basketball to a bronze medal in the FIBA 3×3 World Championships Saturday in Guangzhou, China. The Gamecocks’ transfer teamed with Linnae Harper (Ohio State), Natalie Romeo (Washington) and Chatrice White (Florida State) to bounce back from a semifinal loss to top Spain for a spot on the medal stand.

The American quartet powered through preliminary round action last week, going 3-1 with wins over Italy (21-14), Japan (21-12) and Taiwan (17-8) before closing with a 21-16 loss to Spain. Saturday’s three rounds began with a quarterfinal win over Argentina, 17-5. In the semifinals, the U.S. took on Czech Republic, which had suffered a tough loss on the first day of preliminary-round action. The back-and-forth game went to the Czech Republic late in a 21-18 decision that sent the Americans to the bronze medal game and a rematch with Spain, which had fallen to Ukraine in the other semifinal. With the final medal placing on the line, the U.S. bested the Spaniards 20-14. The Czech Republic claimed the gold medal with a 21-11 win over Ukraine.

“It was very important for us to win that last game,” Jennings said. “We felt like as long as we went out and did our best, gave it our all, we felt like we’d be fine. We just wanted to get a medal for our country.”

Jennings scored 46 points over the seven games of the tournament, ranking third among all scorers at the event. Her medal marked the second-straight FIBA 3×3 World Championships in which a Gamecock medaled. Then-junior guard Tiffany Mitchell helped the U.S. to gold in the 2014 event.

South Carolina women’s basketball season begins with an exhibition game on Mon., Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. against Benedict at Colonial Life Arena. Season tickets are available now via the website, GamecocksOnline.com/tickets, or by calling the South Carolina Ticket Office at 1-800-4SC-FANS (472-3267). Prices start at $30 for general admission seating.