Paris 2024 3x3 basketball: All results, as Worthy de Jong leads the Netherlands to a thrilling overtime victory in gold medal match
The Netherlands dribbled, shot and dunked their way to an overtime victory in the men’s 3x3 basketball gold medal match, snatching victory in front of an energized and passionate crowd at La Concorde on Monday, 5 August.
Worthy de Jong hit a clutch two-point shot in overtime to seal the deal for the Netherlands, with host nation France settling for a hard-fought silver medal after falling short 18-17 in the title game.
It was a full-circle moment for the star of the Dutch team, who never imagined himself on this stage as a kid.
“I never grew up with a dream to play in the Olympics,” said De Jong. “If anything I wanted to play in the NBA or just get the best out of me. The reason why I started in the first place was because I wanted to see if I could have been better than my dad.”
He added: “It has been an extremely long journey, I switched from five-on-five to 3x3 because I couldn’t get the joy from five-on-five anymore. I lost it along the way, and to be able to find it in 3x3 and then for it to take me here to this moment, it’s undescribable.”
De Jong led the Dutch team on the court, spiritually and physically, in the final. He netted seven points total, including a slam dunk that set the tone early in the game.
While his two point shots missed left and right in regulation, he found nothing but net when it mattered in overtime, securing a dramatic victory for the men in orange.
“I left it up to the gods and just a little bit of luck,” said De Jong. “You work your whole career to actually make those shots, but you throw it off, fading away… it’s a tough shot to make, but it went in and here we stand.”
Of course, he didn’t win the gold medal by himself. His performance was accompanied by vital ball control, shooting and defense from Jan Driessen, Dimeo van der Horst and Arvin Slagter.
Slagter was dominant in the key, snagging five defensive rebounds against the French. His defensive performance was complemented by Driessen, who collected three offensive rebounds and netted six points for the Dutch.
“I don’t know how to describe this. It is an unbelievable feeling,” said Slagter.
He joined his teammates in a victorious embrace on the podium, singing the national anthem as they watched the Netherlands’ flag ascend the flagpole at La Concorde.
Victory snatched from the grasp of Team France
While it wasn’t their dream result, France’s quartet earned all the love showered upon them by the home crowd.
Lucas Dussoulier, Timothe Vergiat, Jules Rambaut and Franck Seguela played their hearts out against the Dutch, making shots when it mattered and staying calm in the high-pressure gold medal match.
They chose to play it safe in overtime, netting a one-point shot to set up an easier path to victory. However, the Dutch capitalized with a risky shot at the possession buzzer to snatch victory away from the French squad.
“It is a little disappointing because it was a tough game,” said Seguela. “Both teams deserved the gold, but we cannot share it. It was such a long journey and we will just enjoy the moment.”
They enjoyed the support of an enthusiastic home crowd throughout the entire match. It was a hot ticket, with many spectators supporting the team from outside the venue at La Concorde.
“It was such an honor to play for this crowd,” added Seguela. “Unfortunately, we did not get what we wanted. We came here to win the gold. We did not come here just to come here. I think we can be proud.”
Lithuania will also leave Paris 2024 with their heads held high, after springing an upset victory on a once unbeatable Latvia squad. They exercised control over much of the match, but found themselves tied at 17-17 with less than a minute remaining.
Capitalizing on a pair of fouls by Latvia, Aurelijus Pukelis and Evaldas Dziaugys made four consecutive free throws to guarantee the bronze medal for Lithuania. They were joined on the podium by teammates Gintautas Matulis and Sarunas Vingelis.
“I am very proud tonight, and very proud of my teammates. We got the job done. It is our victory,” said Matulis.
It was a historic night of matches, as the players on all three teams became the first athletes from their nations to win medals in 3x3 basketball at the Olympic Games.
3x3 Basketball: Men’s team podium
Gold: Netherlands
Silver: France
Bronze: Lithuania
See all the results on Olympics.com.