43 male and female teams stake claim to be crowned champions of Asia and Oceania in FIBA's 3-aside Tournament
Singapore, 25 March 2024 – The highly-anticipated FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024 has reached the Lion City and the atmosphere at the Singapore Sports Hub is palpitating as 43 male and female teams stake their claim to be crowned champions of Asia and Oceania.
Organised by Kallang Alive Sport Management (KASM) and supported by Sport Singapore, the 2024 edition of FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup will see youths play an integral part in this world-class event. Through purposeful programming, youths are provided with a platform to pursue their aspirations both on and off the court.
Marcus Tan, Chief, Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore, said: “Since 2022, we have seen a steady growth in the number of spectators who join us each year at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup. Through such events and an increase in both local and overseas competitions, our players have also gained valuable competition experience and achieved significant improvements in their world ranking – from 87 to 49 out of 181 participating teams."
"This year, we have an exciting calendar of activities such as coaching forums and workshops as well as youth competitions which create an excellent avenue for aspiring coaches and youth basketballers to showcase their talent and learn from the best. These initiatives complement our national basketball development system driven by the Basketball Association of Singapore and ActiveSG Basketball Academy, to boost participation among coaches, youths, create more learning opportunities, and inspire our next generation of athletes and coaches."
Yazed Osman, KASM Group Head of Events & Placemaking, said: “The Singapore Sports Hub is proud to champion the sport of basketball. Leveraging basketball as a launchpad, our commitment to youths and the community is demonstrated by extensive programming, which includes a series of initiatives such as the learning journey and JR Hoopers Programme that will provide opportunities to develop deeper affinity for the sport. I look forward to welcoming Singaporeans to catch exciting, world-class basketball action at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024.”
More than 600 students from 13 schools across primary to tertiary institutions will participate in a specially curated FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024 learning journey. They will be shown around the Singapore Sports Hub to view the various venues hosting the event, have the opportunity to interact with Team Singapore athletes and learn about sustainable practices in sport and at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024.
To inspire the next generation of basketballers, KASM, in partnership with the Basketball Association of Singapore (BAS), will organise the JR Hoopers Programme, comprising curated basketball experiences such as a 1-day skill clinic and a 2-day camp held between 29 and 31 March. More than 150 youths across four categories (U11, U14, U15, U17) will have the opportunity to learn from Singapore’s best and be inspired to represent the nation.
Coaching forums and workshops will be conducted by national 3x3 coaches from Singapore (Lazaar Rasic), Australia (Damon Lowery) and Germany (Matthias Webber), with the aim of sharing knowledge and nurturing the next generation of 3x3 coaches. Community competitions such as the ActiveSG Cup and Team Nila Challenge Cup will be played at the OCBC Square from 29 to 31 March, on the sidelines of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024.
Beyond sport, the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024 will also provide opportunities for youth to showcase their talents or gain experience in other areas. 10 final year students from the Diploma in Sport & Wellness Management at Nanyang Polytechnic will be in action as support staff at the event, allowing them to gain hands-on experience and valuable insight to how international sporting events are organised.
Seven secondary schools and tertiary institutions will participate in the half-time shows during the Qualifying Draw, with Northland Secondary School’s dance CCA performing at the Opening Ceremony on 28 March.
Jamus Tan, 18, from Nanyang Polytechnic said: “I’m really excited to be part of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024. Basketball is one of my favourite sports and I’ve always been interested to learn what goes on behind the scenes of such international sport events so being able to volunteer as support staff at this tournament is the best of both worlds for me."
"I know a lot of hard work goes into making such events happen and it is inspiring to see so many passionate individuals working together to create such a successful event. I’m looking forward to this eye-opening experience and hope that more people will have similar chances to learn about the industry.”
Team Singapore line-ups announced
Adding to the excitement, Singapore has also unveiled its representatives who will lead the hosts’ charge for glory at the OCBC Square with fresh faces in the squad.
The men’s team of Delvin Goh, Nur Aufa Emil Putra, Tay Ding Loon and Xu Duan Yang will be led by Kelvin Lim, while the women’s team consisting of Choo Jie Ying, Han Xingyue, Priscillia Han, Sara Choong and Jermaine Lim will be helmed by Tang Choy Ting. All players, except Choong and Tang, will be making their FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup debut. The final match day line-up for both teams will consist of four players from the above squad.
The Qualifying Draw for 26 teams in the men’s and women’s events will be held on 27 and 28 March. The full schedule and groupings for the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024 can be found here.
Jermaine Lim, 22, who will be making her FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup debut and is the youngest member of the Singapore women’s team, is relishing the opportunity to compete in front of the home crowd. She said: “I’m excited to experience the atmosphere at the OCBC Square and it means a lot to be able to play basketball in front of my loved ones."
"Prestigious tournaments like the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup are a great opportunity for us to improve our chemistry as a team, and to gain more exposure to different playing styles. As a team, we want to play our part in developing the sport and ensure Singapore basketball will keep improving. We are fired up for the challenges that lie ahead. It won’t be easy but we’re ready to put our best foot forward and give our best against China and Chinese Taipei.”