The USA Women’s Basketball National Team won the 2026 Women’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Warsaw, Poland on Sunday thanks to help from a current Gamecocks star.

South Carolina women’s basketball forward Joyce Edwards led Team USA to a gold medal after a close victory over Australia.

Edwards now has four gold medals on her resume while playing for USA Basketball. This is Edwards’ first medal in three-on-three competition. Edwards’ prior three gold medals came in traditional five-on-five play at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup, 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup.

Edwards averaged 4.4 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 52.1% from the field in this year’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup. She was joined by former Gamecock teammate MiLaysia Fulwiley (now at LSU), Oklahoma’s Sahara Williams and LSU’s Mikaylah Williams. The latter Williams was named MVP of the tournament.

Team USA had an easy time getting to bracket play in the tournament. The Americans went undefeated in Pool B with wins over Hungary, Australia, Mongolia and Spain. Edwards led Team USA with seven points and eight rebounds in the pool play matchup with Mongolia.

Team USA started its tournament run with an 18-16 win over France in the quarterfinals. Edwards scored six points and led her team with four rebounds in the game. Team USA’s semifinals game vs. Azerbaijan resulted in a 19-18 overtime win. The victory sent the Americans to the finals, where they beat Australia 21-20 after a clutch shot from Mikaylah Williams.

Michael Sauls is The State’s South Carolina women’s basketball reporter. He previously worked at The Virginian-Pilot covering Norfolk State and Hampton University sports. A Columbia native, he is an alum of the University of South Carolina.

WARSAW, Poland. (WTOC) – Team USA Women’s Basketball claimed their 4th Gold medal in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup on Sunday.

South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards also walking home with gold after scoring four points with two rebounds in Team USA’s 21-20 win over Australia.

The team consisted of South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, LSU’s Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley as well as Oklahoma’s Saraha Williams.

Since the event began in 2012, the American women have medaled five times with four gold medals (2012, 2014, 2023 and 2026) with the lone bronze in 2016.

LSU’s Mikayla Williams had the game-winning basket and walked away with MVP honors.

Edwards led South Carolina to two national title games. The current sophomore averaged 19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Gamecocks.