The curtain of the 3×3 Basketball in the 3^rd Mediterranean Beach Games opens on Sunday, September 10th, at 19:00 and on the shadow of fortress Kules and of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The world- wide popular Olympic sport is included for the very first time in the program of the Mediterranean Beach Games and will be hosted in the emblematic Venetian port of Heraklion, where, among other things, the champion and two-time MVP of the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo has left his mark seven years ago.

The Greek superstar of the Milwaukee Bucks starred in the Streetball 2016 Event which was held in the same venue on April 23, 2016 and caused a big bang in Heraklion!

The Men’s 3×3 Basketball Tournament features eight teams made up of players under the age of 23 years and divided into two groups.

Kosovo, North Macedonia, Croatia and Greece belong to Group A, while Slovenia, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria compete in Group B.

Six teams take part in the Under-23 Women’s Tournament, which were also divided into two groups.

Tunisia, Croatia and Kosovo compete in Group A and Egypt, Slovenia and Greece compete in Group B.

In the summer of 2022, at the Mediterranean Games held in Oran, Algeria, the gold medal in the Men’s Tournament was won by France, silver by Serbia and bronze by Spain.

In the corresponding Women’s Tournament, Spain prevailed, followed by France and Italy.

The 3×3 Basketball Tournament is expected to be a point of reference and a pole of attraction at the 3rd Mediterranean Beach Games, due to the dynamics and popularity of the sport.

The 3×3 Basketball is spreading rapidly and furiously all over the planet, starting from 2021 in Tokyo is included in the program of the Olympic Games, it is constantly attracting new friends and is currently considered as the most growing and popular urban sport in the world.

“We are expecting a great Tournament, especially in the men’s category, in which four teams that are in the Top 15 of the world rankings participate,” commented the coach of the Greek national teams, Angelo Tsagarakis.

“Slovenia, Croatia, Egypt and Greece are expected to be the main contenders and as far as we are concerned we have the possibility, the desire, but also the opportunity to win one medal.”

A total of 56 athletes, 32 men and 24 women, are participating in the Tournament.