By Rowan Anderson
Faster, tighter play. Three players on a half court per side challenging each other with just a single hoop.
3×3 basketball is the largest urban team sport in the world and its popularity and hype.
The 3×3 Community Hustle program aims to encourage people to physical activity every day and to provide regular opportunities for them to do so within a basketball context.
Anybody can play and sessions are being run over the school holidays at Albert River Park in Eagleby.
The first session was run earlier this morning with smiles on the young players faces.
Dynamic and aggressive player Ashley Taia will be running the sessions and brings great experience from the court. The Logan product brings QBL, college and WNBL playing stats with her guidance. The alternative format offers a new way to play for all participants as the Taia said.
“3×3 is a quicker fast paced game that challenges your individual skills both offensively and defensively so it’s a good alternative which can help develop and improve your game,”
“I think kids like how fast paced 3×3 is and having and finding the ability to score easier with less players on the court,”
“I enjoy the competitiveness and challenge in every player. It’s you and only two other players so you have to be able to play off the ball, with the ball, in the post, off the dribble outside the paint, defensively as well you have to be able to guard so many different actions and positions,”
“It’s challenging and competitive and exposes weak links in people’s game.”
It is easy to see why there is so much hype around the sport along with it being added to both the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games as a vital step-forward in Australia’s quest in becoming a strong and proud 3×3 basketball nation.
The sessions will be on again on Thursday 1st October and runs at 9.30-10.30am for ages 5-8 years and 10.30-11.30am for ages 8-13.
