SECOND FIBA 3x3 U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MEN – 2012

Alcobendas, Spain • September 28-30, 2012

Following the first 3x3 Youth World Championship in 2011, FIBA changed the name of the event to reflect the age limit and announced that the 3x3 U18 World Championship would be held on an annual basis.

2012 USA 3x3 U18 World Championship Team 2012 USA RESULTS (8-2)  USA 21 Hungary 19 USA 21 Turkey 15 USA 13 Spain 12 (1OT) Israel 17 USA 14 USA 20 Germany 13 USA 18 Italy 16 USA 21 Brazil 14 USA 21 Estonia 18 USA 17 Canada 13 Serbia 21 USA 20 (1OT) 2011 FIBA 3x3 U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS 1. Serbia (10-0) 17. Poland (4-3) 2. USA (8-2) 18. Slovenia (3-4) 3. France (9-2) 19. Venezuela (3-4) 4. Canada (8-2) 20. Australia (3-4) 5. Russia (7-1) 21. Germany (3-4) 6. Romania (6-3) 22. Brazil (2-5) 7. Estonia (6-3) 23. China (2-5) 8. New Zealand (5-4) 24. Turkey (2-5) 9. Bulgaria (6-2) 25. Kazakhstan (2-5) 10. Spain (5-3) 26. Hungary (1-6) 11. Israel (5-3) 27. Slovakia (1-6) 12. Switzerland (5-3) 28. Singapore (1-6) 13. Latvia (4-3) 29. Jordan (0-7) 14. Lithuania (4-3) 30. Netherlands (0-7) 15. Italy (4-3) DNC Angola (0-6) 16. Belize (4-3) DNC Tunisia (0-6) Final standings for 5th-30th places were determined by the FIBA classification criteria. Angola and Tunisia did not travel to Spain for the competition and therefore forfeited their games.

In addition to the name change, the 3x3 U18 World Championship events also include medals awarded for individual skills challenges and a mixed tournament. The skills competitions are a 3-point shootout, a dunk contest and a “2 Ball” contest in which a team of two athletes shoots from five different positions in a 60-second span.

Three members of the USA Basketball Men’s Developmental National Team, including Larry Austin, DeMonte Flannigan and Rondaé Hollis-Jefferson, won the 2012 USA Basketball U18 3x3 National Tournament to qualify for the 3x3 U18 Worlds. Additionally, sharp-shooting Brett Brady, who participated in the USA 3x3 U18 National Tournament, was added to the team upon the conclusion of the tournament.

Hollis-Jefferson was the only member with previous international 3x3 experience after having been on the 2011 USA 3x3 Youth World Championship Team. He was determined to return this year with a medal and his hard work, along with that of his teammates, was rewarded with a silver medal.

Hollis-Jefferson also returned with a bronze medal from the dunk contest.

While 3x3 basketball is normally played outdoors, rain caused the first two days to be moved inside at the José Caballero Sports Centre’s Amaya Valdemoro Pavilion in Alcobendas, Spain. However, the skies broke in time for the final day’s medal round and skills contests.

Day 1 - September 28
The USA 3x3 U18 men won their first three contests, but dropped their last game of the first day of action.

The USA started the day with a 21-19 victory over Hungary, took down Turkey 21-15 and edged host Spain 13-12 in overtime, before dropping a 17-14 decision to Israel to finish out the day.

With the top three teams in each pool advancing to the medal round, the next day’s games would prove critical for the U.S., which closed the first day of competition in a four-way tie atop Group D standings, along with Germany, Italy and Israel.

Day 2 - September 29
The USA 3x3 U18 men’s team won all three of its games and secured a No. 1 seed into the medal round quarterfinals during day two of the 2012 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championship.

The U.S. men began the day with a 20-13 win over Germany, before battling Italy for an 18-16 victory and then defeating Brazil 21-14.

Day 3 - September 30
Facing Estonia in the quarterfinals, the U.S. earned a 21-18 victory and then dispatched Canada 17-13 to advance to the gold medal game against unbeaten Serbia.

The final game was a close affair that see-sawed for the first half of the contest. With the U.S. up 11-10, however, Serbia strung together five unanswered points to take a 15-11 lead. The Americans fought back and took a 17-16 lead late in the game. From there the score was knotted three times, including a Hollis-Jefferson buzzer-beating bucket that sent the game into overtime with score tied 19-all.

Hollis-Jefferson threw down a dunk to put the U.S. on top 20-19 and in need of one more point to clinch the gold medal as the first team to score two points in overtime earns the victory. However, Serbia heaved up a shot from beyond the arc that banked in, giving the Serbs the 21-20 win and gold medal.

France’s men took bronze with a 19-11 victory over Canada.

2012 USA Men's 3x3 U18 World Championship Team Roster

2012 FIBA 3X3 U18 World Championship Skills Contests Medalists