A 3 on 3 basketball tournament is one of the most popular recreational activities in the world today. It is estimated that over 250 million people participate in 3 on 3 basketball games worldwide. Instead of traditional 5 on 5 full-court games, 3 on 3 basketball tournament games are half-court contests. Most 3 on 3 basketball tournaments are held outside to keep with the “streetball” tradition.
3 on 3 Basketball Tournament: “Hoop it Up”
“Hoop it Up” bills itself as “The World’s Largest 3 on 3 Basketball Tour.” Basketball players off all ages typically compete outdoors on asphalt courts. The “Hoop it Up” tour rolls through dozens of cities in the United States, including Tampa, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Phoenix and Washington, DC.
While it is a 3 on 3 tournament, teams can carry up to five players, two of which will be used as substitutes. Teams who win their respective divisions will qualify for the overall World Championships in New York. The team that wins the “Top Gun” division has the chance to take home $20,000.
Future of 3 on 3 Basketball Tournaments
There has been a movement in recent years to add a 3 on 3 basketball tournament to the Summer Olympics. The International Basketball Federation, otherwise known as FIBA, introduced a 3 on 3 basketball tournament at the Asian Indoor Games in 2007. Twenty boys teams and 20 girls teams participated in a 3 on 3 basketball tournament in the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics.
New Zealand won the first 3×3 Youth World Championship in 2011 in Italy. In August 2012, the first senior men’s and women’s 3×3 tournaments took place in Greece. FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann is hopeful that 3 on 3 basketball games could be included in the Summer Olympics in 2016 or 2020.
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