China's 3×3 basketball teams have made it into the Paris Olympics. Both the men's and women's teams from China have booked(预定) their spots(名额) in the 3×3 basketball competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the International Basketball Federation(FIBA) said on Nov.1.
As an exciting and creative variation(变化) of basketball, 3×3 basketball is played with three players on each team on a half-court(半场) with one hoop(篮筐). The game lasts for a 10-minute period and players only have 12 seconds to make their shot after getting the ball. The first team to get to 21 points through one-point and two-point field goals wins, or whichever team is leading when time is up, said the Olympics website.
From a player's point of view, 3×3 basketball focuses more on speed and smart thinking than endurance(耐力) and game plans. "It is so fast. You need to think quickly. If you want to be at a high level, you have to develop all types of skills." said three-time FIBA 3×3 World Tour winner Dusan Bulut.
In China, 3×3 basketball is developing quickly. China won the bronze medal in the women's 3×3 tournament(比赛) at the Tokyo Olympic Games. It was China's first Olympic basketball medal in 29 years since it won the silver medal in women's basketball at Barcelona 1992, reported Xinhua. China also set up a professional 3×3 basketball league(联赛) in August 2022.
Now, most of the 3×3 players come from the 5×5 clubs. "We still need 5×5 basketball to find players, but I believe, in the future, the 3×3 basketball will develop to have its own future," Yin Zhe, director of the 3×3 basketball department of the Chinese Basketball Association, told Xinhua.
