A Perth team featuring Devan Craig, Riley Eves, Lachlan Oakley and Keegan Phillips battled it out against a competitive field of 3x3 talent in a Shibuya Challenger over the weekend.
The Perth outfit more than held their own in the Qualifying Draw, with a 16 – 21 result against Crvena Zvezda from Serbia and 15 – 21 against Poland’s Warsaw
It was an early exit for the 2026 3x3 Champs but regardless, the talent level in Australia and future integration with the 3x3 international circuit will provide an ongoing opportunity to expand into the format.
“As we continue to build the 3x3 pathway in Australia, it's exciting to see teams embracing the format and proudly representing on the world stage in true 'streets to the Olympics',” said Pri Karunakaran, HP Manager of 3x3 at Basketball Australia.
“We’re relative late comers in the 3x3 game compared to other basketball nations, but the flexibility of the tournament will continue to present opportunities for Australian players.
“A part of that is continuing the 3x3 Champs as a talent identification pathway with a ticket to gain exposure on the international circuit.”
3x3 QUESTS | HOW DOES IT WORK?
The design of the 3x3 World Tour is a fascinating re-think on traditional models of pro / international sports. In the Pro format, teams representing cities qualify via ‘quests’ (3x3 Champs), and can advance through a progressive tournament system (see qualification journeys for Shibuya here).
The goal for Pro teams is to get access to the World Tour, which was secured by Antwerp at the Shibuya meet. There is genuine prize money and exposure on offer for the players and the festive, party like events regularly sell out.
For Australian hopefuls, the 3x3 Champs tournament will continue to be an access point. The domestic 3x3 Champs tournament is slated to go ahead again in 2027.
