3x3 Basketball Scores at Minsk 2019

(ATR) Three-on-three basketball was a big hit at the European Games with players and teams dreaming of competing at Tokyo 2020 as the fast-paced game anticipates its Olympic debut.

Athletes praised the Pavlova Arena venue, an excellent, albeit temporary structure, ideally situated just a short walk from Minsk’s bustling Old Town.

"It’s really high quality - I really like playing here, my colleagues also – the atmosphere is great," said Wojciech Pisarczyk of Poland. " There are much more people here than at the Amsterdam World Cup. In every single game it’s full of fans. Pavlova Arena is one of my favorites with a very nice court.

The 30-year-old Polish basketball player said he is thrilled about the possibility of playing at next summer’s Olympic Games in Japan.

"We start preparing this season – our main goal is go to the Olympics," he said. "Every single tournament, every single game, every single practice is road to the Olympic Games. We are going after it."

Alba Pla Marsinach of Andorra had nothing but positive feelings about the Minsk 2019 tournament atmosphere and venue.

"I’ve played in a lot of world championships and this is awesome – I don’t have enough words to describe it," said the 1.82-meter, 28-year-old. "The atmosphere is very warm and you can feel it. Also, the venue is really nice and the floor is lovely because sometimes with 3x3, the ball is not bouncing so well.

Pla Marsinach much prefers the quick-natured pace and occasional unpredictable nature of the half-court game as opposed to traditional five-on-five.

"It’s more electric – you have more contact and lots more opportunities," she said. "The game can change completely in 10 minutes."

As a small country of only 70,000, Andorra doesn’t have enough elite-level international players to field competitive five-on-five teams, so according to Marsinach, the focus is entirely on the 3x3 game.

She is still in astonishment that 3x3 has become Olympic.

"If someone would have asked me about playing in the Olympics five years ago, I’d say ‘you are crazy,’ she said. "Now, it’s true and I think it’s going to be a party. People love it because there is music, it’s fun, there is action and it’s still the lovely game of basketball."

With the 3x3 World Cup ongoing concurrently in Amsterdam, Minsk 2019 was also the perfect opportunity for teams to showcase young talent and give up-and-coming players valuable experience on the international stage.

Led by the world’s number two ranked player Caroline Heriaud and Assistan Kone, who scored seven points, France walloped Estonia 21-8 to claim gold in the Minsk 2019 women's tournament.

"One year from the Olympics, so it’s really amazing to be here and it’s been a great event in Minsk," Heriaud tells Around the Rings.

"I dream every night about going to the Olympic Games," said the 22-year-old French star. "For me, I play 3x3 in the summer and the rest of the season is five-on-five. I don’t want to have to make a choice between them."

In the men’s tournament, Russia defended its European Games title from Baku 2015, with a 21-14 victory over Latvia to win the gold medal in Minsk.

Host Belarus, playing 3x3 in the European Games for the first time, gave the hometown fans something to cheer about, winning bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. A total of 20 men’s and 20 women’s teams competed in Minsk with 64 games in total played.

Written and reported by Brian Pinelli in Minsk

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