USA Basketball Girls 3x3 Team To Train Against Hoop It Up Champs

Colorado Springs, Colo. • Aug. 31, 2011

USA Basketball’s recently announced boys and girls 3x3 Youth World Championship teams will begin preparations for the FIBA championship on Saturday, Sept. 3, at George Mason University. As part of both USA teams’ training, the USA squads will practice against the boys high school division winner from the Hoop It Up 3-on-3 tournament that was held Aug. 20-21 in Miami, Fla.

The USA 3x3 teams will train 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon and 4:00-6:00 p.m. (EDT) on Sept. 3-4, and 9:00-11:00 a.m. (EDT) on Sept. 5 before departing for Italy later that day. The FIBA 1st Invitational 3x3 Youth World Championship for boys and girls 18 years old and younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1993) is being held Sept. 9-11 in Rimini, Italy.

“A critical part of any team’s preparation is learning to play together and training against the champions from the Hoop It Up 3-on-3 boys high school division will afford our boys and girls teams a chance to scrimmage against experienced 3x3 players,” said USA Basketball CEO/Executive Director Jim Tooley. “I want to thank Hoop It Up for assisting our teams in their preparations. We look to expand our working relationship with Hoop It Up for future involvement with USA teams and FIBA 3x3 events.”

Representing the Hoop It Up 3-on-3 high school division champion Miami Tropics team are Yunio Barrueta (Hialeah, Fla.); Gian Clavell (Hialeah, Fla.); Adrian Gonzalez (Hialeah, Fla.); Ray Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.); and Alvardo Simoza (Hialeah, Fla.). All five players attend Hialeah Gardens High School (Fla.).

The USA girls 3x3 team is includes Kaela Davis (Buford H.S./Suwanee, GA), Rebecca Greenwell (Owensboro Catholic H.S. /Owensboro, Ky.), Linnae Harper (Whitney M. Young H.S./Chicago, Ill.), and Taya Reimer (Hamilton Southeastern H.S. /Fishers, Ind.). All four were members of the 2011 USA U16 National Team that claimed gold at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in June.

While aiding the USA to a 5-0 record and gold medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Merida, Mexico, Greenwell was the USA’s leading scorer averaging 15.6 points and added 5.6 rebounds a game; Harper averaged 9.6 ppg., 4.6 rpg. and a team best 3.4 assists; Davis contributed 6.8 ppg., 4.3 rpg. and 2.0 apg; and Reimer added 4.8 ppg. and 5.0 rpg.

The girls 3x3 Youth World Championship competition will feature 24 teams that will be divided into four preliminary round groups consisting of six teams each. The first four finishing teams from each group will advance to the eighth finals, with the winners advancing on to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.

Girls teams expected to participate include: Angola, Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, England, Germany, Greece, Guam, India, Italy, Japan, Netherland, Russia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, USA and Venezuela.

Under FIBA’s 3x3 rules, each game will consist of two 5:00 periods, with one 1:00 overtime period if needed. If the game is still tied after the first overtime, a second and final overtime is played and the first team to score two points wins. The team leading after completion of regular playing time, or the first team to score 21 points, will be declared the winner. Shots made outside the 3-point line are awarded two points, shots made inside the 3-point line are awarded one points, and each made free throw is worth one point. Additionally, a 12-second shot clock will be utilized.