3x3 Sprite development program seeks to identify country’s best

Some of the players who will represent Uganda in the U18 National team competitions. PHOTO BY ELVIS SENONO

Uganda is one of the few countries on the continent to have embraced 3×3 basketball, the shorter the shorter version of the game.

The country which had the women’s team taking part in the World Cup held in Philippines at the start of June is ranked highest on the continent with the men second.

In a bid to keep with the development of the game, international governing body FIBA introduced a 3×3 Fast Track: a long-term programme dedicated to identifying, coaching and developing the future 3×3 Olympian.

As expected the project is also being held in Uganda where 50 schools took part across East, West and Central Uganda in partnership with Sprite.

The project is expected to climax on Saturday at KIU courts in Kansanga with the finals bringing together the best players from all the schools.

They will then compete both for the national trophy from where the best 32 players (16 boys and 16 girls) will be chosen to form the talent pool to represent Uganda in the U18 National team competitions.

FIBA officially launched 3x3 as second basketball discipline in 2010. More than 150 national federations have competed in 3x3 World Championships, 3x3 Zone Championships or multi-sport games.

Its success of worldwide makes FIBA optimistic regarding the game’s inclusion in Olympic Games as of 2020.
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