Gamecock wins gold! Allisha Gray, Team USA on top in 3-on-3 basketball
Team USA is bringing home the first Olympic women’s 3-on-3 basketball gold medal.
The Americans defeated the Russian Olympic Committee 18-15 in Wednesday’s gold medal game. This was the first year of 3-on-3 basketball in the Olympics.
Former University of South Carolina player Allisha Gray led the way throughout Team USA’s 8-1 run through the Olympics, scoring six points in the 18-16 semifinal win over France to make it to the gold medal game. She scored four points and grabbed six rebounds in Team USA’s victory.
Now that Gray has the medal, she has no intention of taking it off.
“I’m keeping it around my neck,” Gray said. “It’s going with me everywhere.”
Gray was joined on the roster by fellow WNBA players Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum and Stefanie Dolson. Team USA’s 3-on-3 team is coached by Kara Lawson, head coach at Duke.
“Super duper proud of you @Graytness_15! Congrats on being an Olympic gold medalist!!” Dawn Staley, Gray’s coach at USC, posted to Twitter.
Gray played at South Carolina for the 2016-17 NCAA championship season and holds USC records for best field goal percentage in a tournament game (84.6% against UNC Asheville) and most games played in a single season (37). She played a key role on the Gamecocks’ championship team, finishing second on the team in points, steals and assists.
“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate my national championship,” Gray said. “But winning the gold medal, that’s just on a different level.”
Gamecock great Shannon Johnson was the last South Carolina women’s basketball player to win Olympic gold. She did that with Team USA’s 5-on-5 basketball team in 2004.
This story was originally published July 28, 2021 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Gamecock wins gold! Allisha Gray, Team USA on top in 3-on-3 basketball."
