In the same sense that Twenty20 is creating resurgence across the cricket world, FIBA have introduced a 3×3 format to international competitions in order to capitalise on the 250 million players worldwide.
Basketball is ranked among the most played recreational sports on the planet and the idea behind FIBA’s 3×3 concept is to develop it as a key motor for the development of basketball. Basketball at the Youth Olympics is currently played in FIBA’s 3×3 format.
The very first ever Oceania 3×3 Championships which were held last weekend in Coff’s Harbour offer the opportunity for winners to play at the FIBA 3×3 World Championship’s. This is the highest National Team 3×3 competition in the world and is played at senior men, senior women, U18 men and U18 women levels.
Nomination forms were been sent to hundreds of high schools and basketball association’s on the east coast of Australia with approximately 70 teams participating. Australian club Coffs Harbour and New Zealand club North Harbour took out the girls and boys club titles respectively.
The International division was strongly represented from teams from all across the Oceania region, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, New Caledonia, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Guam.
Australia Gold won the girls Gold Medal, surviving a narrow victory against New Zealand, winning 11-10. Kirby Lennan who led the team in scoring was joined by Phillippa McDonald and Bridget Mimmo on the Gold Medal winning team. Lyric Wolfgramm, Maria Tekura, Gabriella Fotu and Pareraukura Gilmartin-Kara made up the New Zealand squad.
The Australia Green boys team represented by Kyle Clark, Kai Healy, Ben Rennie and Andrej Donlagic, however weren’t so lucky as New Zealand showed its ability in the FIBA 3×3 format when it captured the Oceania youth men’s title 18-12 at Coffs Harbour thanks to strong performances by Doven Barlow, Jack Salt, Jaylen Gerrand and Raymond Penny.
It was a great effort by Guam who after finish in third place in the boys and girls 3×3 International Championships. Finishing in 3rd place put the Guam teams as the highest Pacific Island winners, and as such, has won the honour of representing Oceania against Australian and New Zealand 3×3 teams at the Youth Olympics in Sydney.
Full details and results are available at www.fibaoceaniacompetitions.com