This weekend some of New Zealand’s best 3×3 players from around the country will go head to head in Round One of the Japanese League 3X3.EXE Premier. New Zealand has two Conferences in this league, based in Christchurch and Auckland; Each conference has 6 teams competing for the opportunity to head to Japan for Finals in September
3X3.EXE Premier is one of the fastest growing 3×3 competitions in the world. Starting with humble beginnings in Japan 2014 with 7 teams. The competition in 2019 encompasses four countries; New Zealand, Korea, Thailand and Japan with a total of 72 teams.
The top two New Zealand teams from each conference will travel to Japan for 3×3.EXE Premier Playoffs in Tokyo, 7-8 September where they will compete for a share of USD$20,000 in prize-money. North Island and South Island Conferences will each play eight rounds between 18 May and 25 August in 3×3.EXE.
The North Island Conference will be hosted by newly purpose built basketball complex; Swish Factory in Orbit Drive, Rosedale, Auckland. The Southern Conference will be hosted by the Canterbury Basketball Association (CBA) at different venues in Christchurch. All games will use the FIBA live scoring app and will be live streamed via the 3×3.EXE Premier website.
For each round the teams will be split into two pools of three teams, which will play a round robin schedule, semi-final and finals. There is a total of nine games per round and you can watch live and for free, here. The top four teams in each round will receive 3×3.EXE Premier points and at the end of the eight rounds, the two teams from each conference with the most 3×3.EXE points will receive a fully funded trip to Japan to play in the 3×3.EXE Premier Final 7-8 September.
It is the first year the competition has gone outside of Japan and there’s plenty of excitement about the inclusion of the international talent to this event. This is also the first time that New Zealand has participated in an International 3×3 League, so it opens up opportunities for our New Zealand players to shine on the international stage.
3×3.EXE Premier players will also accumulate those all important FIBA Ranking Points and will have the opportunity, should they win the Tokyo Final, to attend a FIBA World Tour Masters Event.
More information:
Rounds:
• Round 1, 18-19 May
• Round 2, 8-9 June
• Round 3, 22-23 June
• Round 4, 6-7 July
• Round 5, 20-21 July
• Round 6, 3-4 August
• Round 7, 17-18 August
• Round 8, 24-25 August
• 3×3.EXE Playoffs in Tokyo, 7-8 September
Follow the 3×3.EXE Premier League on Basketball New Zealand’s social media channels: @BasketballNZ on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and on the website, www.NZ.basketball / https://ohen.tv/ .
Photo By Leon Taylor BBNZ – From Left To Right:
David Huxford- 3×3 Mangager, Basketball New Zealand
Takaaki Nakamura- President, Xross Sports Marketing Company
Karl Noyer- Swish Factory
