Quinessa Caylao-Do
Photo by: Gary Breedlove
Buffs Excited For 3-on-3 Basketball To Be Newest Olympic Sport
June 14, 2017 | Women's Basketball
CU was part of a pilot program with USA Basketball to expand the 3-on-3 game earlier this year
BOULDER – When the International Olympic Committee announced the addition of 3-on-3 basketball as a new competition for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last week, Colorado's women's basketball team took particular interest. A group of four CU players helped pilot a 3-on-3 program for USA Basketball in April to grow the sport in the United States.
"I'm really excited about 3-on-3 becoming an Olympic sport," Buffs head coach JR Payne said. "I believe that 3-on-3 basketball allows players to really showcase their skillset in a way that is different than a 5-on-5 setting. There is a lot more open space, which allows players to be creative both on and off the ball."
Under FIBA's (International Basketball Federation) 3-on-3 rules, each game consists of one 10-minute period. The team leading after completion of regular playing time, or the first team to score 21 points, is declared the winner. If the game ends in a tie, the first team to score two points in overtime earns the victory. Shots made outside the arc are awarded two points, shots made inside the arc are awarded one point and each made free throw is worth one point. Additionally, a 12-second shot clock is utilized.
Carol Callan, the Women's National Team Director for USA Basketball and CU's radio analyst, has been pushing for 3-on-3 to be added to the Olympics. One of the big selling points with the IOC was that it provides many more countries an opportunity to compete since just four players are required to complete a team. It can be more difficult to put a full team together for 5-on-5 in less-populated countries.
"A great example is the Philippines," Callan said. "They have a really good 3-on-3 team, but they can't necessarily find that consistent level throughout a roster for a 5-on-5 team. It allows more countries to develop the sport for the International Olympic Committee and also for FIBA. It brings a younger following because it's more of an urban sport. It's a nice compliment to 5-on-5 basketball, much like beach is to indoor volleyball."
Callan said the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will feature eight men's and eight women's teams in the inaugural 3-on-3 event. The current FIBA 3x3 World Cup model brings in 20 teams to compete, so unlike beach volleyball, she does not believe the IOC will accept more than one team per country at this time for the 3-on-3 event due to the higher number of countries competing.
Buffs Participate In USA Basketball 3x3 Event
Colorado sent a team of four players to compete at the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament in April at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The group of Buffs, including returners Kennedy Leonard and Quinessa Caylao-Do, competed against five other Pac-12 schools and several other semi-pro teams. CU's group reached the semifinals of the knockout rounds after pool play and went 3-2 overall. The Buffs were eliminated by two points to Washington, which went on to win the tournament.
Callan sees the Pac-12's involvement in the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament as a prototype for developing an Olympic program for the future, possibly involving more conferences throughout the NCAA.
"It gives us a great model moving forward," Callan said. "We're not sure, just because it's so new to the table, how teams will qualify [for the Olympics] and what that will do to participation numbers. But we know for sure on the women's side that it needs some help to get more and more women playing it. We felt like the Pac-12 participation was a very good thing, not only for us, but also for those Pac-12 teams, and heard no negative comments. What we want to try to do is expand this moving forward and go past just one conference, and maybe to allow all conferences to have a team come forward.
"I think the experiment worked really well, enough that we'd like to be able to continue to build on it."
The players also came away with a great experience and believe it helped grow their 5-on-5 games. There were many components from the 3-on-3 game that help with the 5-on-5 game.
"You have to play defense [all the time]," Caylao-Do. "With 3-on-3, it's not like you can just take a break. It never really stops unless it goes out of bounds. What I really took away is that you can move without the basketball."
Leonard noted that time management is much more important in 3-on-3 and believes it can help speed up the 5-on-5 game.
"Twelve seconds [on the shot clock] is not a lot of time and you don't really realize that until you're in the game," Leonard said. "Also your communication [is important] because it's the three of you. If you get hit on a screen, there's not really any help. Being able to switch or help on that will really help in the 5-on-5 game."
Summer Update
CU is currently hosting its youth camp this week and several current and former players have returned to campus to serve as camp coaches. Other camps, including a team camp, will run through next week.
Season tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit this link.
"I'm really excited about 3-on-3 becoming an Olympic sport," Buffs head coach JR Payne said. "I believe that 3-on-3 basketball allows players to really showcase their skillset in a way that is different than a 5-on-5 setting. There is a lot more open space, which allows players to be creative both on and off the ball."
Under FIBA's (International Basketball Federation) 3-on-3 rules, each game consists of one 10-minute period. The team leading after completion of regular playing time, or the first team to score 21 points, is declared the winner. If the game ends in a tie, the first team to score two points in overtime earns the victory. Shots made outside the arc are awarded two points, shots made inside the arc are awarded one point and each made free throw is worth one point. Additionally, a 12-second shot clock is utilized.
Carol Callan, the Women's National Team Director for USA Basketball and CU's radio analyst, has been pushing for 3-on-3 to be added to the Olympics. One of the big selling points with the IOC was that it provides many more countries an opportunity to compete since just four players are required to complete a team. It can be more difficult to put a full team together for 5-on-5 in less-populated countries.
"A great example is the Philippines," Callan said. "They have a really good 3-on-3 team, but they can't necessarily find that consistent level throughout a roster for a 5-on-5 team. It allows more countries to develop the sport for the International Olympic Committee and also for FIBA. It brings a younger following because it's more of an urban sport. It's a nice compliment to 5-on-5 basketball, much like beach is to indoor volleyball."
Callan said the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will feature eight men's and eight women's teams in the inaugural 3-on-3 event. The current FIBA 3x3 World Cup model brings in 20 teams to compete, so unlike beach volleyball, she does not believe the IOC will accept more than one team per country at this time for the 3-on-3 event due to the higher number of countries competing.
Buffs Participate In USA Basketball 3x3 Event
Colorado sent a team of four players to compete at the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament in April at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The group of Buffs, including returners Kennedy Leonard and Quinessa Caylao-Do, competed against five other Pac-12 schools and several other semi-pro teams. CU's group reached the semifinals of the knockout rounds after pool play and went 3-2 overall. The Buffs were eliminated by two points to Washington, which went on to win the tournament.
Callan sees the Pac-12's involvement in the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament as a prototype for developing an Olympic program for the future, possibly involving more conferences throughout the NCAA.
"It gives us a great model moving forward," Callan said. "We're not sure, just because it's so new to the table, how teams will qualify [for the Olympics] and what that will do to participation numbers. But we know for sure on the women's side that it needs some help to get more and more women playing it. We felt like the Pac-12 participation was a very good thing, not only for us, but also for those Pac-12 teams, and heard no negative comments. What we want to try to do is expand this moving forward and go past just one conference, and maybe to allow all conferences to have a team come forward.
"I think the experiment worked really well, enough that we'd like to be able to continue to build on it."
The players also came away with a great experience and believe it helped grow their 5-on-5 games. There were many components from the 3-on-3 game that help with the 5-on-5 game.
"You have to play defense [all the time]," Caylao-Do. "With 3-on-3, it's not like you can just take a break. It never really stops unless it goes out of bounds. What I really took away is that you can move without the basketball."
Leonard noted that time management is much more important in 3-on-3 and believes it can help speed up the 5-on-5 game.
"Twelve seconds [on the shot clock] is not a lot of time and you don't really realize that until you're in the game," Leonard said. "Also your communication [is important] because it's the three of you. If you get hit on a screen, there's not really any help. Being able to switch or help on that will really help in the 5-on-5 game."
Summer Update
CU is currently hosting its youth camp this week and several current and former players have returned to campus to serve as camp coaches. Other camps, including a team camp, will run through next week.
Season tickets are now on sale. For more information, visit this link.
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