From trips around the country to the NCAA Tournament, to custom shoes gifted by Nike, to a recently announced ESPNU mini-documentary following the team, the success of Fairfield’s women’s basketball program over the last two seasons has created a number of exciting opportunities for its players.
For junior guard Kaety L’Amoreaux, one such opportunity was the chance to represent the United States in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3×3 U23 World Cup from Sept. 17-21.
“Late in the summer, I think it was our last week of practices, [USA Basketball] reached out to Coach Carly,” L’Amoreaux said. “She said there was the opportunity for me to go, and obviously I jumped at it because it’s a very unique experience.”
The event, which was held in Xiong’an, China, brought together 20 teams of four players representing the highest-ranked countries in the 3×3 format from around the world. L’Amoreaux was joined on Team USA by TCU senior Taylor Bigby, Tennessee senior Lazaria Spearman and recent Kansas State graduate Serena Sundell, who was drafted by the Seattle Storm of the WNBA last April.
The long trip to China for the competition presented a new challenge for L’Amoreaux, who had never traveled outside the country for basketball before.
“When I played AAU back in high school, we did a lot of traveling, but it was usually, like, driving to the Midwest,” she said. “So I’ve definitely never been on a plane that long, which was interesting for me.”
The 3×3 format itself also presents a unique experience that isn’t often seen or prioritized in the United States. Each game is played on a halfcourt and lasts a maximum of 10 minutes, with the winner being whichever team reaches 21 points first or is leading when time expires. The shot clock lasts just 12 seconds, and there are no stoppages after made baskets, meaning the action is almost constant.
Additionally, as was the case in Xiong’an, 3×3 is often played on covered, outdoor courts surrounded by tightly packed bleachers and a live DJ, contributing even more to the frenetic pace and feeling of the games.
“It’s super quick with the 12-second shot clock, so whereas in a regular game you might see only two or three buzzer beaters, here almost every shot is a buzzer beater,” L’Amoreaux said. “It’s a very exciting, fast-paced game. You have the DJ going the whole time, so there’s constant music, constant talking… It’s like a very upbeat, up-tempo environment.”
Luckily for L’Amoreaux, this event wasn’t her first time playing in the 3×3 format. In May, she was joined by Fairfield teammates Meghan Andersen, Emina Selimovic, and Raiana Brown to represent the Stags at the 3×3 USA Nationals in Phoenix.
In playing four matches there, L’Amoreaux was able to pick up some valuable experience in a format that many of her World Cup competitors are much more adjusted to.
“When you look at how many games people have played, you have people from Germany or the Netherlands who have 200-some games under their belts,” she said. “I might be creeping into double digits now, so it was definitely super helpful getting the different tactics and rules on how to play the game before actually getting to the World Cup.”
The competition began with round-robin pool play, with each country separated into four groups of five. The top two teams in each group were then seeded into the final, single-elimination bracket to crown a champion.
L’Amoreaux and the United States emerged from their group in second place with a 3-1 record, taking wins over Mexico (19-11), the Philippines (21-14), and Chile (20-18). Their lone loss came at the hands of eventual bronze medalists and world number two Spain, 18-12.
Then, in the quarterfinals, the United States were knocked out in a 21-14 defeat to eventual champions Netherlands.
“Spain and the Netherlands are two teams that have tons of games under their belts, and the Netherlands has a true 3×3 academy,” L’Amoreaux said. “It’s definitely interesting to see how knowledgeable those girls are in the specific aspects of 3×3, because they just know the game so much better.”
“That was definitely where we lacked a little bit and in our connections, seeing as my teammates and I met four days before the first competition, but they were just really, really skilled teams.”
Still, it was a positive result for a United States team that, by ranking, was not projected to make it out of their group. For L’Amoreaux, the event provided an exciting chance to hone her skills as she and the rest of the Stags turn their attention to the start of the season and their quest for a three-peat in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference next month.
“Obviously, there are different aspects to 3×3, but there’s so much carry over too,” L’Amoreaux said. “It’s mainly a lot of passing and working with others, because the ball is in your hands on a lot of possessions since there are only three people out there. So just with playmaking and knowing what passes to make, it was definitely helpful.”
After being named to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team this week, L’Amoreaux is looking to take another step forward in what has already been an illustrious career with the Stags, one that has earned her the chance to represent the United States on the international stage.
“I’m very excited for the upcoming season. Preseason polls just came out, and we were at the top of the list, and I absolutely foresee that happening,” she said. “I’m excited to hopefully go farther than we have in seasons past.”
L’Amoreaux and the Stags will kick off the 2025-26 season at Villanova on Wednesday, Nov. 5, before returning to Leo D. Mahoney Arena for their home opener against Lehigh on Saturday, Nov. 8.
