Three-on-three is a game that Filipinos are very familiar with. With half-courts located on almost every street, only six ballers instead of ten are required to play the game. In the past few years, this game has gained popularity which has led to the IOC recognizing it as an official sport for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The Philippines will field a squad in each division of the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup. The men's team will feature Stanley Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, Roger Pogoy and Troy Rosario, while the women's squad will have Gemma Miranda, Jack Danielle Aminam, Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos.
With the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup set to tip off on June 8 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan, let's review the rules and regulations of the half-court game.
Court and ball
The 3x3 game is very different from its full-court counterpart. The game is played on a court measuring 15 meters wide and 11 meters long. The arc, free-throw line, and no-charge semicircle measure the same as the traditional court.
Aside from the said difference in court size, the size of the ball is also different.
The 5-on-5 game uses a Size 7 basketball which measures 29.5 inches in circumference and weighs 22 ounces. But the 3x3 ball is a bit smaller at 28.5 inches. This change was introduced to allow improved ball handling, which is crucial in the street style of the sport.
It is also better suited to the faster pace of the half-court game. However, the 3x3 ball is as heavy as the traditional ball to make sure that the same effort is needed from the players to send the ball through the hoop.
Players, points, and fouls
Each team is composed of four players -- three on the court and one substitute. A coin flip, not a jump ball, determines which team will start the game with the possession.
Every shot inside the arc or a free throw is worth one point while shots outside the arc are worth two points. The game is 10 minutes long and whoever has the lead at the end will be the winning team. However, it could also end abruptly as the team that reaches 21 points at any point of the contest will already be deemed the winner.
If the game is tied after 10 minutes, there will be an overtime period where the team that scores two points first will claim the win.
Due to the physical nature of the 3x3 game, there is no fouling out. However, the team will enter the penalty situation after the 6th foul. Team fouls 7, 8, and 9 will result to one free throw for the opposing team but the 10th foul and onwards will be meted with a stiffer penalty of two free throws and ball possession.
Like in the traditional game, technical fouls lead to a free throw and ball possession while unsportsmanlike fouls are worth two free throws and ball possession.
Here is the schedule of the games of Team Pilipinas in the 2018 @FIBA3x3 World Cup! 🇵ðŸ‡
— ESPN5 (@Sports5PH) June 7, 2018
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Watch it LIVE on @TV5manila and @AksyonTV! #3x3WC #WatchUsPlay pic.twitter.com/1M6B7oVQat
Game play
After a made field goal or free throw, a player from a non-scoring team can resume the game by dribbling towards beyond the arc or passing it to a teammate who's located there -- also called "clearing the ball." This is also the case after grabbing defensive rebounds or getting steals and blocks.
However, the team on offense can try multiple times to score inside without having to send the ball out.
The defensive team will automatically get possession after a jump ball situation is forced.
Substitutions feel more like tags in 3x3 as these could happen during dead ball situations when a player steps out of the court and establishes distance with his teammate who's coming in to replace him.
No stalling
One of the most interesting facets of the 3x3 game is that it deems stalling as a violation. While it's universally accepted for teams to "run the clock down" in end game situations in the 5-on-5 game what the team has the lead, it's not allowed in 3x3.
Aside from the quick 12-second shot clock, failing to play actively is a violation.
Tournament format
In the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, there will be 20 teams each in the mend's and women's divisions, separated into four pools. After the single round robin in the elimination round, the top two teams from the pools will qualify for the knockout stage.