TORONTO – Canada Basketball is excited to announce a new event, “3x3 Canada Quest.” This initiative from FIBA and Canada Basketball will begin in June with three tour sites in Canada. The three sites are qualification events for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters competition in New York City to be held August 18-19, 2012. Basketball Alberta and Basketball BC will share hosting duties in Edmonton, Alberta (June 9-10), while Ontario Basketball will host in Toronto, Ontario (July 6-8) and Quebec Basketball Federation will run the event in Montreal, Quebec (July 7-8). The winners in each of these sites will earn a berth and represent Canada in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters in New York City. The 16 best teams from the Masters will then qualify for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final, which will be held in Miami, USA on September 23-24.
3x3 CANADA QUEST SCHEDULE
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For each of the tour sites in Canada, the tournament will be an all-male tournament and participants will be required to be 18 years old or older.
FIBA Secretary General and IOC Member Patrick Baumann, shared his enthusiasm on the announcement of the Inaugural World Tour: “The first edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and the first-ever FIBA 3x3 World Cup are two key landmarks in the development of the game, which we see as a future Olympic Discipline. 2012 is going to be remembered as the year when 3x3 basketball was launched.”
Canada Basketball and its members are excited about the momentum that is building from the potential opportunities with 3x3.
“We have had many conversations in Canada regarding 3x3 and the benefits for FUNdamental and Learn to Train athletes as well as a fun way to stay active for life,” said Michele O’Keefe, Director, Basketball Operations. “FIBA has very exciting initiatives with 3x3 that started with the Youth Olympic Games in 2010 and continues with this World Tour. Canada Basketball is very proud to be one of the federations who are at the forefront. 3x3 Canada Quest is just the starting point.”
Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 basketball is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide. Endorsed by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a standard half-court. It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore.
For more information please contact:
Ron Yeung
Manager, Domestic Development
Canada Basketball
e-mail: ryeung@basketball.ca