Princeton win first title at FIBA 3x3 World Tour Los Angeles Masters, powered by L.A. Times 2019
LOS ANGELES (USA) - Princeton made history by winning the first-ever edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Los Angeles Masters, powered by L.A. Times on September 20-21, 2019.
The U.S. team took home their first-ever World Tour Masters title after beating the number one team in the world Novi Sad (SRB) in the semi-finals and Liman in the final (16-11).
After coming short in the final in Prague and Lausanne, Princeton did not blink in their home Masters. MVP Kareem Maddox shined in the final with 8 rebounds including 4 offensive, 1 block and lockdown defense. The hero in the final was the smaller player on the court Damon Huffman, who erupted for 12 points, including 4 shots from behind the arc.
Mihailo Vasic had 6 points for Liman in the losing effort. Despite losing the final, the Serbian squad extended their lead in the season standings. Liman are the only team to have qualified to each one of the 9 Masters this season. They won 1 title in Debrecen, Hungary on August 27-28.
With just 2 Masters to go in Nanjing and Jeddah, Liman headline a list of 6 teams who have already clinched a spot in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final. The other five are Novi Sad (SRB), Riga Ghetto (LAT), Princeton (USA), Piran (SLO) and NY Harlem (USA).
In the individual contests, Myree Bowden aka ‘Reemix’ (USA) dominated the Dunk Contest, powered by L.A. Times while Szymon Rduch (Jeddah, KSA) won the shoot-out contest, presented by Monster Energy.
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour lived up to its reputation of urban culture festival as the event was part of the LA Street Festival powered by the L.A. Times, which also featured an e-sports competition, a Hoop It Up grassroots 3x3 tournament, breaking battles and a food festival.
Former FIBA and NBA stars Rick Fox, Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko counted among the many celebrities who attended the event.
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is only starting in Los Angeles. FIBA and the Los Angeles Times media group announced in June they would bring the annual FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final to Los Angeles from 2020 through 2023.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. Princeton (USA)
2. Liman (SRB)
3. Novi Sad (SRB)
4. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)
5. Piran (SLO)
6. Amsterdam (NED)
7. Jeddah (KSA)
8. Zemun (SRB)
9. Gagarin (RUS)
10. Lausanne (SUI)
11. São Paulo DC (BRA)
12. Rio Norte Lendas RJ (BRA)
The 10th Masters of the season will be played in Nanjing, China on October 12-13.
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Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.
It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3x3 World Tour and national-team FIBA 3x3 World & Continental Cups.
On 9 June 2017, 3x3 was added to the Olympic Program, starting from the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Nike is the Founding Partner, Wilson the Global Sponsor and Tissot the Official Timekeeper of FIBA 3x3.
FIBA 3x3 events are played on Enlio floors with Wilson balls, Schelde backstops, and the Magic Sky canopy system.
For further information about 3x3, visit fiba3x3.basketball, FIBA 3x3 accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Sina Weibo, Tencent, Twitter, Youku and YouTube or contact 3x3@fiba.com.