JORDAN GRATEFULLY ACCEPTS LATE INVITE TO COMPETE AT FIBA 3x3 U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

 Amman, Jordan: Jordan has accepted a late invitation from basketball’s world governing body, FIBA, to compete in the 3x3 U18 World Championships taking place in Chengdu, China, from June 28 – July 2.

The sport has enjoyed a rapid rise to prominence this year after a committee was created under Jordan Olympic Committee supervision to develop the game once it was confirmed that 3x3 basketball would be included in the 2020 Olympic Games.

The young team showed plenty of promise at the recent Islamic Solidarity Games, and the progress made by Jordan has now been recognised with the eleventh hour call for the teams to compete on the biggest stage of the year as one of just 20 nations taking part.

“We are extremely honoured to have been asked by FIBA to take part in the World Championships,” said Nasser Majali, JOC Secretary General.

“We have made considerable progress in developing the sport in Jordan and we look forward to learning from our experiences in Chengdu this week.”

Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport.

Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.

It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefitted from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3x3 World Tour and national-team world championships.

Jordan has organised its own national tournaments lately, including the recent Ramadan tournament which welcomed 36 professional, amateur and women’s teams.