AUS PREPARED TO BACK UP MEDAL WINNING PERFORMANCES AT 2018 FIBA 3X3 ASIA CUP
Held from April 27-May 1, Australia’s teams for the tournament consist of number one ranked 3×3 player in the country Andrew Steel who will play alongside his team mate from last year in Owen Odigie as well as Tom Garlepp and Tom Wright while the women feature reigning FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup gold medalist Carlie Smith and Maddie Garrick, Bec Cole and Keely Froling.
Both teams will be led by David Biwer, who coached the men at the corresponding event in Mongolia last year while he has also had success coaching men’s and women’s teams domestically in the NBL 3×3 Hustle series.
“The teams are hungry, intensity and physicality is not going to be an issue,” Biwer said.
“It’s a very different game to 5-on-5 but there are still positions that we are want to fill and I feel we have a great balance. We’ve got defenders everywhere, two or three great shooters each and players that can dominate the paint.”
Despite their success at last year’s tournament, both Australian teams must navigate a qualifying series in China before reaching the official competition.
The men will take on Indonesia, Iran, Samoa, Guam and Hong Kong in Group B and must finish on top to advance with games beginning Friday night and running through to Sunday.
The women must also finish on top of Group B against Sri Lanka, Thailand and Samoa with their games being played on Saturday and Sunday.
“You could go all the way to China, lose one game and get knocked off so we know we have to come out ready,” said Biwer.
“Some of our opposition haven’t played much 3×3 whereas we are starting to know what we’re doing so we are confident.”
The first day of competition which will see the Aussie men take on Guam and Indonesia this Friday can be viewed below while the remaining days of the qualifying tournament as well as the official competition can be found via the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel.
Stay tuned to the Basketball Australia social media channels and website to keep up to date with results throughout the competition.
Australia’s Schedule at the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup (all times AEST):
April 27: Australian Men vs. Guam at 5.30pm
April 27: Australian Men vs. Indonesia at 8.10pm
April 28: Australian Men vs. Hong Kong at 1.00pm
April 28: Australian Women vs. Thailand at 4.10pm
April 28: Australian Men vs. Iran at 5.20pm
April 28: Australian Women vs. Sri Lanka at 7.50pm
April 29: Australian Men vs. Samoa at 1.40pm
April 29: Australian Women vs. Samoa 2.20pm
April 30: Pool Games
May 1: Finals
Basketball Australia
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