Nelson playing host to leg of 3x3 basketball street tour
Round eight of the Burger King 3X3 Quest Basketball Tour will be hosted in Nelson on Saturday at the Tahunanui Beach tennis courts.
Basketball New Zealand’s 3x3 manager, David Huxford, said that Nelson’s strong tradition in the sport made it the perfect venue.
‘‘Nelson has a great history of basketball with some of our big stars coming from there – Tall Blacks Kevin Baddiley, Charlie and Brian Cotton, Phil Jones, Dave Taylor, Frank Baldwin, Mika Vukona, Paul Stigley and others,’’ he said.
‘‘And of course the Giants fans are some of the NBL’s most vocal. The local colleges always represent themselves well at our national events too. So yes, basketball and Nelson go together like sunshine and beaches.’’
Huxford said the 3x3 format (pronounced 3 on 3) is a summer sport because it is the street form of basketball, played with three people per side, with one hoop. He said the format embraced the idea of ‘pick up’ games.
‘‘Traditionally communities revolved around clubs and more formal sports, with interclub and organised competition, and many people still enjoy their sport that way today. But there is also a large proportion of people who want to play, but struggle to commit to a team or club week in and week out.
‘‘So 3x3 is perfect for them, because it’s providing opportunities to play informal sport in a more professional and organised setting.’’
This is the fourth summer the Burger King Quest Tour has travelled throughout New Zealand. Huxford said he and his team set up around eight informal one-hoop courts at each venue, add music, create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and provide a competition where there is a grade that suits all levels.
‘‘The tour is for anyone who wants to play, male and female, from the junior player through to the elite. Our New Zealand representatives play in the open men’s grade events.’’
The final stop of the 3x3 Quest Tour is a world tour qualifying event, where the winners will go on to represent their hometown at the Fiba 3x3 World Tour. The winner of the Nelson opens men’s grade will automatically qualify for that event.
‘‘The Burger King 3x3 Tour has official ‘Quest’ status, which means that the winner of the Open Men’s grade at each event will compete at the World Tour Qualifier Final,’’ he said.
‘‘We host it at the Cloud [in Auckland] on March 25. Whoever wins the open men’s grade at the Cloud will win an allexpenses paid trip to Asia and the right to represent their city at a Fiba 3x3 World Tour Masters in Asia.’’
Fiba rules state that international players who compete in world championships or the World Tour must have played in at least two Fiba-endorsed events and accumulate points on 3x3Planet, Fiba’s portal for 3x3 events.
‘‘The tour gives players an opportunity to be spotted by the national 3x3 talent selector. This year Basketball New Zealand will send five teams overseas to play in Fiba 3x3 events, so we’re looking for some really talented players to sign up.’’
Building on three successful tours over previous summers, the Burger King 3X3 Quest Tour runs from November 26 through to March 25 at the final event at the Cloud in Auckland. The event is open to under-15, under-17, under-19 and open age groups in both men’s and women’s categories.
Huxford said players must be registered on 3x3Planet.com to enter.