Israel to Host 2015 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championships

FIBA announced on Monday that Israel will host the 2015 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championships.

The exact dates and the name of the host city will be revealed later this year.

The Basketball Association of Israel (IBBA) – one of the most active national federations in the development of 3×3 – will host the fourth edition of the tournament. It was previously held in Rimini, erectile Italy (2011), link  Alcobendas, link Spain (2012) and Jakarta, Indonesia (2013).

The FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championships are held on an annual basis, except the year of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG). 3×3 will once again be the only basketball discipline played at this summer’s Youth Olympic Games, in Nanjing, China (16- 28 August 2014).

“We are delighted to organise the 2015 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championships in Israel, giving the country its first major FIBA event,” said FIBA Secretary General and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Patrick Baumann.

“Israel’s success in traditional basketball is well-documented but what is less known is Israel was at the vanguard in 3×3, participating in the discipline’s first-ever international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, finishing sixth in the men’s category.

“After a resounding success the last three years in Italy, Spain and Indonesia, we know our top 3×3 youth competition will be in safe hands in Israel in 2015.”

IBBA President Dani Haloutz underlined the honour to stage the competition in his country saying: “We take great pride in hosting an international event like the FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championships and being associated with a rising discipline like 3×3.

“No other international event mixes youth, sport, music and urban culture like this one. We support FIBA’s initiative to steer 3×3 and bring it to the Olympics.”

Haloutz believes 3×3 will feel itself at home in Israel.

“This discipline already has a strong fanbase here, with players and spectators attending in numbers tournaments all over the country. We expect this event to have a positive impact on the development of 3×3 and basketball in general in Israel and take it as a great opportunity to welcome young athletes from all over the world and show them a little bit about our beautiful country.”