Canada will be represented by a men’s team and a women’s team at the inaugural FIBA Americas 3x3 U18 Championship. The two-day tournament from August 31 to September 1 will be staged at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. The competition is in preparation for this fall’s FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships to be held in Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta.

Three of the four women set to compete at the event have already played for Team Canada this summer. Daneesha Provo (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Shay Colley (Brampton, Ont.) competed on the Junior Women’s National Team while Eternati Willock (Scarborough, Ont.) suited up for the Cadette Women’s National Team that won silver at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women. 6-2 forward Shantelle Valentine (Brampton, Ont.) completes the four-person squad. The team will be led by Agnes Borg of Toronto, Ont.

Two members of the men’s team donned the Red and White of Team Canada this summer. Jamal Murray (Kitchener, Ont.) and Kalif Young (Toronto, Ont.) took home the bronze medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Men as integral parts of the Cadet Men’s National Team (CMNT). Guard Tyrell Bellot-Green (Mississauga, Ont.) represented Canada with the 2012 CMNT. Rounding-out the Canadian contingent is Brody Clarke (Toronto, Ont.) who played in the 2012 edition of the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships in Alcobendas, Spain. 2013 CMNT head coach Dave DeAveiro will serve as team leader.

The Canadian men’s squad will be one of seven teams participating in the event, joined by Belize, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the United States and Venezuela. Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the United States will be in competition on the women’s side. The first-ever FIBA Americas 3x3 U18 Championships are further examples of the continued expansion of the sport across the globe.

Michele O’Keefe, executive director of Canada Basketball, spoke to the development of 3x3 and its impact on the state of the game. “The interest and support for 3x3 demonstrates the capacity for growth and innovation in basketball. The ability of sport to bring people together to not only compete, but also cheer, is a powerful driving force as we continue to grow the game both domestically and internationally.”

Scores and results from the competition can be found at the FIBA Americas website. In-depth coverage of the tournament is available at 3x3planet.com. The FIBA Americas 3x3 U18 Championships will serve as preparation and not qualification for the September 26 to 29 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships. Countries who perform well, and those deemed committed to the development of 3x3, will be selected to participate in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.

2013 U18 3x3 Women’s National Team

<table width="505" cellspacing="0" border="0">    <colgroup> <col width="165">    <col width="110">      <col width="70">   <col width="160">   </colgroup>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td><span><span><span><b>Name</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Position</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Height</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Hometown</b></span></span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Shay Colley</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Guard</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>5-9</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Brampton, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Daneesha Provo</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Guard</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>5-10</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Dartmouth, N.S.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Shantelle Valentine</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Forward</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-2</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Brampton, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Eternati Willock</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Forward</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-1</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Scarborough, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>    </tbody></table>

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2013 FIBA Americas 3x3 U18 Championship for Women – Preliminary Round Schedule

<table width="545" cellspacing="0" border="0">    <colgroup> <col width="165">    <col width="90">      <col width="150">   <col width="150">   </colgroup>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td><span><span><span><b>Date</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Time (ET)</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Team 1</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Team 2</b></span></span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>10:30 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>U.S. Virgin Islands</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>11:30 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Puerto Rico</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>3:00 p.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>United States</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>        </tr>    </tbody></table>

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2013 U18 3x3 Men's National Team

<table width="505" cellspacing="0" border="0">    <colgroup> <col width="165">    <col width="110">      <col width="70">   <col width="160">   </colgroup>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td><span><span><span><b>Name</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Position</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Height</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Hometown</b></span></span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Tyrell Bellot-Green</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Guard</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-7</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Mississauga, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Brody Clarke</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Wing</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-7</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Toronto, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Jamal Murray</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Guard</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-3</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Kitchener, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Kalif Young</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Forward</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>6-7</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Toronto, Ont.</span></span></td>        </tr>    </tbody></table>

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2013 FIBA Americas 3x3 U18 Championship for Men – Preliminary Round Schedule

<table width="545" cellspacing="0" border="0">    <colgroup> <col width="165">    <col width="90">      <col width="150">   <col width="150">   </colgroup>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td><span><span><span><b>Date</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Time (ET)</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Team 1</b></span></span></span></td>            <td><span><span><span><b>Team 2</b></span></span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>9:00 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Venezuela</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>10:30 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Guatemala</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>11:30 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>United States</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Saturday, August 31</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>1:30 p.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Puerto Rico</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Sunday, September 1</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>10:00 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Belize</span></span></td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td><span><span>Sunday, September 1</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>11:00 a.m.</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>Canada</span></span></td>            <td><span><span>U.S. Virgin Islands</span></span></td>        </tr>    </tbody></table>

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