Australia\u2019s Jesse Wagstaff is calling on past experience to turn Men\u2019s 3×3 Basketball silver into gold at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old was part of the Australia side that won the Basketball title on home soil at Gold Coast 2018, but had to settle for a runners-up spot in the inaugural 3×3 tournament four years ago. The Gangurrus lost 17-16 in overtime to England in the gold medal game at Birmingham 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019d won at Birmingham, I\u2019d still be as motivated,\u201d Wagstaff (pictured left) said. \u201cIf you win, you want more. If you don\u2019t, you want it anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Measuring 203cm, he is teaming up with Games debutants Jonah Antonio, Jarred Bairstow and Samuel McDaniel.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was obviously disappointing at the time but this is a whole new tournament, a whole new Games, a whole new team, and regardless of the result then, the motivation is still unchanged,\u201d Wagstaff said.<\/p>\n
Wagstaff expects another fiercely competitive tournament.<\/p>\n
“There are some very good teams. New Zealand are good, England, Scotland \u2013 obviously, the host country \u2013 and Nigeria,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith 3×3 play, you\u2019ve got to be on your toes because a game is so short that you have to stay focused.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got three games on the first day, so we worry about the first one, then move onto the second and third, and take it from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Defending champions England will again be the team to beat. Four years ago, Myles Hesson drained the game-winning two-pointer in the dying seconds to secure gold but Jamell Anderson is the only member of that squad to return for these Games.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince we won gold, other countries have reacted,\u201d said Anderson, who will be joined at Glasgow 2026 by Ashley Hamilton, Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Evan Walshe.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of teams now look more like the team we had in Birmingham. At the same time, we\u2019ve changed our approach and evolved as a team, so the competition is different. We probably have a target on our backs now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI relish that challenge. Winning gold was difficult, and that\u2019s how I like things to be. I don\u2019t want an easy road.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would be really upset if we don\u2019t win gold again. I don\u2019t mind saying that, but at the end of the day we\u2019re representing England, trying to do the best job we can, and what will be will be.\u201d<\/p>\n
England looking for revenge<\/p>\n
In the Women’s 3×3 tournament, Canada will defend their Commonwealth crown in Glasgow having beaten England 14-13 in the Birmingham 2022 final.<\/p>\n
They underlined their favourites status by taking fourth place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while Birmingham bronze medallists Australia, who finished fifth in the French capital, also have designs on topping the podium.<\/p>\n
England will be out to avenge that one-point defeat in the gold medal match four years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe gold is the ultimate goal. I think about this all the time, like, we got so close (in 2022),\u201d England\u2019s Cheridene Green said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people ask, \u2018how did you do?\u2019 I think, \u2018we did great, we got silver\u2019, but it still hurts my heart because we could have got more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Green\u2019s teammate Shanice Beckford-Norton will also use memories of 2022 as motivation.<\/p>\n
\u201cA gold medal would mean redemption,\u201d Beckford-Norton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know where we fell short before and we know what we need to improve. Even though the games are only 10 minutes long, the fatigue can make you switch off for a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven when I try not to think about Birmingham, I\u2019m reminded of it. We watched it again the year after and we’ve watched it again ahead of these Games.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely want to create some new core memories.\u201d<\/p>\n