MONTREAL, QUE. (August 31, 2021) — Just over a month after making its Olympic debut, 3×3 basketball makes its return to Canada on the Labour Day long weekend as Montréal hosts two elite international events.

The FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Montreal Stop 2021 tips off on September 3-4, with the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Montreal Masters 2021 taking place on September 4-5 in the heart of the city at the Quartier des Spectacles. 

“Downtown Montréal is the perfect place to welcome 3×3 back to Canada” says Paul Sir, Canada Basketball’s Managing Director of 3×3 Development. “The Tokyo Summer Games showcased this great sport to the world, and we’re excited that fans now have an opportunity to see these world class athletes up close in a one-of-a-kind setting.”

Three of the top four teams in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series standings will compete in Montréal, including Spain (1), Poland (2), and Germany (4). Canada, who is currently seeded in 13th place, will be represented by Christina Buttenham (Ancaster, Ont.), Paige Crozon (Humboldt, Sask.), Rashida Timbilla (Ottawa, Ont.), and Catherine Traer (Chelsea, Que.).

The FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series is the No. 1 event on the 3×3 women’s professional circuit. Montréal is the sixth stop on its 2021 schedule, and the final competition before the Bucharest Final on Sept. 18th and 19th in Hungary.

Old Montreal, Winnipeg and Edmonton join 2020 World Tour Final champions Riga (Latvia) as part of a stacked 12-team field set for the Montreal Masters. Old Montreal’s lineup includes Sebastian Beckett (Georgetown, PEI), Kyle Desmarais (Montréal, Que.), Vincent Dufort (Smiths Falls, Ont.), and Dele Ogundokun (Hamilton, Ont.). Wyatt Anders (Winnipeg, Man.), Brensley Haywood (Brooklyn Park, Minnesota), Kurtis Koenig (Waconia, Minnesota) and Paris Kyles (St. Louis Park, Minnesota) will compete as Winnipeg this weekend. Edmonton will feature Ross Bekkering (Taber, Alb.), Alex Johnson (Toronto, Ont.), Adika Peter-McNeilly (Toronto, Ont.) and Steve Sir (Edmonton, Alb.), who is the No. 1-ranked 3×3 player in Canada.

This year marks the 10th for the FIBA 3×3 World Tour, the most prestigious event in 3×3. Montréal is one of several Masters leading up to the Jeddah Final on December 17th and 18th in Saudi Arabia.

These two events mark the first FIBA 3×3 action in Canada since September 2019, when Montréal also staged a stop on the Women’s Series and World Tour Masters.

Many of the athletes coming to Montréal are fresh off competing in July at the Tokyo 2020 Games, which saw 3×3 basketball contested at the Olympics for the first time. The historic first gold medals were won by USA in the women’s event, and Latvia in the men’s event.

Interviews are available with Paul Sir (Managing Director of 3×3 Development), Paige Crozon (Canada women’s team) and Steve Sir (Team Edmonton). For all media requests please contact Paul Sir.

-30-Ce texte est également disponible en français. Pour en obtenir une copie, veuillez communiquer avec Paul Sir. (coordonnées ci-dessous). 

Paul Sir
Managing Director, 3×3 Basketball Development
Canada Basketball
780-680-8542
psir@basketball.ca