TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO makes its competitive debut at this weekend’s International Basketball Federation’s (FIBA) 3x3 Americup in Miami, Florida.
A ten-member contingent comprising of two teams (one male and one female) and two officials chart off to the US on Thursday with competition scheduled to begin on the following day.
The men’s team is made up of veteran player Steven ‘Lighter’ Lewis, Nathyon Lewis, Adrian Joseph and Moriba DeFreitas. The women’s team features pro player Chervelle Cox, foreign-based Kristin Rampersad, Kielle Connelly and Nikiya Baptiste.
They will be managed by Arnold Thomas, national 3x3 coordinator, and Barry Stewart, who volunteered to assist with the teams’ preparations. This is also the first time that TT has qualified teams for the 3x3 Americup.
President of the National Basketball Federation of TT (NBFTT) Claire Mitchell is currently in the US and will be present in Miami for the tourney.
In the men’s division, TT must get the past the qualification round to enter the main draw. In the qualifiers, TT competes out of group C alongside St Lucia and Guyana.
They begin their campaign on Saturday against Guyana from 10:25am and then face St Lucia just after noon. The other qualifying groups feature Uruguay, Haiti and Jamaica while Guatemala, Barbados and Aruba make up the other.
Only the top team from each group advances to the main draw.
In the main draw however, are USA, Venezuela and Mexico (Pool A), Canada and Argentina (Pool B), Brazil and Chile (Pool C) and Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico (Pool D). The advancing qualifier teams complete the teams in Pool B, C and D.
The women take a similar course to the main draw but they must top the only qualifier group, which also comprises Guatemala, Jamaica and Guyana, to advance. Their main draw opponents feature Canada, Uruguay, Puerto Rico (Pool A), USA, Argentina, Venezuela (Pool B), Chile, Mexico, Barbados (Pool C) and Brazil and Dominican Republic (Pool D).
On Friday, the women play Guyana in their opening match, followed by Guatemala and Jamaica later on in the day. The winner of the qualifiers will be placed in the final pool for main draw competition. Thomas believes TT has a good chance of securing spots in both main draws.
“The players are very excited about the tournament as this is our first national senior men and women’s teams that would be playing in an international 3x3 tournament.
“The guys and women are very optimistic and we hope to go out there and do our best for our country. It is our sole intent to make TT proud,” he said.
NBFTT president added, “This is the first Americup we’ve qualified for and there’s more good news on the horizon because TT is also on the road to 3x3 Under-18 World Cup 2022 with our Under-17 team.
“They are confirmed as part of the 3x3 World Cup and this is the first time that a basketball team from TT has qualified for a World Cup.”
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