While Team USA women’s basketball is usually considered in a league of its own, the 3×3 team has work ahead after losing in the finals of the 2026 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup. For those unfamiliar, this format launched half a decade ago, featuring a multi-stage tournament structure designed for rapid, high-stakes 3×3 basketball action. But the three-time gold medalists had to settle for second place for the second time since 2024 against the same opponent.

“The women take home silver,” USA Basketball 3×3 posted on X following Team USA’s 12-21 defeat against Canada in San Salvador.

Despite a strong tournament, Team USA fell short to the team they beat to win gold in last year’s AmeriCup. The American squad featured four players with WNBA experience: Aziaha James, Aerial Powers, Sydney Taylor, and debutant Flau’jae Johnson.

In 3×3, shots inside the arc are worth one point, and shots beyond it are worth two. James gave Team USA a flying start in the final, scoring three straight points to give her team a 3-1 lead. However, that momentum did not last long, as Canada answered with a 4-1 run of their own. While the Americans tried to hold their own, head coach Christina Batastini’s side fell to a 10-5 deficit. In the end, Canada dominated the paint through their sheer size advantage and limited Team USA to just 12 points. Powers was Team USA’s highest scorer with five points, while Johnson added four.

Apart from the rather underwhelming finals display, Team USA had positive outings in the AmeriCup. The Americans began their campaign with a 21-7 win over Colombia, with Taylor leading the way with 12 points. They followed up with a dominant 21-4 victory against the Cayman Islands. Johnson scored eight points, while Powers added six as Team USA easily finished first in Pool B.

However, the knockout stages offered a tougher test. The Americans faced Paraguay in the quarterfinals and had to work for their 21-18 victory. While James and Powers scored six points each, Taylor stepped up big time to score the final six points for Team USA, including the game-winning basket, to keep their title defense alive.

The semifinal against Cuba proved another challenging matchup. Although the Americans initially established a comfortable 6-1 lead, Cuba fought back and made the contest competitive. With the game at 17-15 thanks to a James two-pointer, Taylor once again took charge at the end. She scored a two-pointer of her own, and followed it with a reverse layup game-winner. The Chicago Sky guard scored 10 points and was added to the women’s team of the tournament alongside Canada’s Michelle Plouffe and Colombia’s Yuliany Paz.

Speaking of Plouffe, the 34-year-old was the heart of Canada and deservedly won women’s MVP. As the tournament’s standout performer, Plouffe led the competition in both player value (49.8) and total points (41). She also topped the charts in offensive rebounds (12) and one-pointers made (23), while finishing third in blocks with three. Her consistent scoring in the knockout rounds, including eight points in the Quarter-Final against Chile, 11 in the Semi-Final against Colombia, and nine more in the final, helped Canada successfully overcome the ghosts of their past in Team USA to win their third gold medal in the format, matching the Americans’ record.

“It was super fun to come out here with my teammates and give it our everything and play for something bigger than ourselves,” Plouffe said. Moreover, Canada’s
Paige Crozon believes the victory and recognition will provide them with a valuable boost as the team looks ahead to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

For next year, though, El Salvador will have another opportunity to host the continent’s best 3×3 talent following an eventful edition that saw Canada reclaiming their throne, Team USA falling back to silver, and Colombia securing its first-ever AmeriCup medal.