Zimmerman Wins Gold with Team USA at FIBA Women’s AmeriCup
12/4/2023 10:35:00 AM | Women's Basketball
First Lion to win Gold for Team USA Basketball
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. – Columbia's Camille Zimmerman '18CC won a gold medal with the USA Women at the 2023 3x3 AmeriCup. Team USA defeated Brazil, 21-20, in a dramatic final on Sunday at DISTRICTO T-Mobile in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Zimmerman teamed up with WNBA stars Katie Lou Samuelson (Los Angeles Sparks/UConn), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever/Ohio State) and Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks/Wake Forest). USA went a perfect 5-0 in the tournament with victories over Uruguay, 17-12, Dominican Republic, 21-10, Ecuador, 18-7, Canada, 21-15, and Brazil in the final. With just 2.5 clicks on the clock, Kelsey Mitchell lobbed a pass to Dearica Hamby on the baseline, who sunk a fade-away shot as time expired for the gold medal.
"It was one of the wildest comebacks that can happen in 3-on-3, coming back from down six," Zimmerman said. "It feels unreal but I have the gold medal to prove that we won. Celebrating, hearing the national anthem play, the photos, the trophy … I haven't slept at all because there was too much adrenalin but I feel like tomorrow it might settle in."
Columbia's all-time leader in scoring (1,973) and rebounds (940), Zimmerman was able to cap off the 21-15 win in the semifinals against Canada with a 2-pointer in the waning moments of the game. She competed in all five games, averaging 3.0 points and 2.8 rebounds. Zimmerman scored a personal-best five points with four rebounds in the victory over Ecuador.
An experienced veteran in 3x3, Zimmerman won bronze at last year's AmeriCup. She has competed in several USA Basketball events on the 2023 FIBA 3x3 USA Women's Series roster, highlighted by a first-place finish at the Pristina Stop in July and finishing the stop tied for the lead amongst all players in scoring.The 🇺🇸 Women are the 2023 #3x3AmeriCup Champions! 🥇🥇 pic.twitter.com/8uaKxIJdmL
— USA Basketball 3x3 (@usab3x3) December 4, 2023
Zimmerman, a two-time First Team All-Ivy League selection and the 2016-17 All-Met Div. I Women's College Basketball Player of the Year, graduated Columbia in 2018 as the program's all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. She accumulated 1,973 points and 940 rebounds in four seasons and is also the single-season record holder in scoring (608 points, 22.5 points per game).
Zimmerman most recently played professionally for USO Mondeville in France. Her professional overseas journey has also included time with teams in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Spain.
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