23 Sept 2016
MEXICO CITY (2016 FIBA 3x3 World Tour) - The clock is ticking. The Americas Masters is the last Masters of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour season and we give you the Top 10 reasons to follow it live on youtube.com/FIBA3x3.
1. ROAD TO ABU DHABI: This is the very last chance to earn a ticket to Abu Dhabi. The winners of the Americas Masters are guaranteed to qualify. The only team that can still make the trip to the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) capital without winning the event? São Paulo DC, who already have 50 points in the season standings after finishing 5th at the Debrecen Masters. If the Brazilian team makes it past the pool phase, they will go on to play in Abu Dhabi. If São Paulo DC win the event or do not advance to the quarter-finals, NY Harlem will qualify as the 12th team in the season standings. As simple as that.
2. UNBEATABULL: Since their 3x3 debut this summer, Team Chicago have had a perfect 17-0 record. Can anyone stop former NCAA stars Stefhon Hannah aka 'Hannahconda' (our favourite nickname) and Myke 'Oh My!' Henry? Or will Chicago have improved to 22-0 come Sunday night?
3. DUNKFATHERS: We've had plenty of young bucks at the dunk contests this year. In Mexico, we’ll have two of the most experienced dunkers in the business. They’re still in their 20s but Justin 'JusFly' Darlington (Canada) and Chris Staples (USA) were banging rims before the entire cast of 'Stranger Things' was born. Darlington invented the under both legs dunk that Aaron Gordon nailed at the NBA Dunk Contest last year and Chris Staples dunks over cars for breakfast. Just watch the livestream on Sunday 25 September at 4.45pm local time (GMT-5).
4. FIRST-TIMERS: Never before had we seen a Chilean team at the World Tour. Then all of a sudden, we see two. Temuco and Talca are on a mission to prove Chileans can ball. The same goes for Team Alexandria who will be the first-ever World Tour team coming from Egypt.
5. FROM WORLD CUP TO WORLD TOUR: A lot of players at the Americas Masters have met success on basketball courts. But Alexandria's big man Ashraf Rabie brings it to a whole new level with his appearance at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
6. JUMPMAN: The young (23) Rodolfo Di Biase will already make his second appearance at the World Tour. Two years ago in Rio, he wowed the crowd not only during the games but also in the dunk contest. Watch out, the Argentinian could dunk on people in Mexico.
7. MOTTA WORLD PEACE: What's more impressive than Douglas Motta's six-pack? His two-point shot. The Brazilian vet can let it fly from long range. Just ask Team Vilnius, who probably still have nightmares of his game-winner at the World Tour Final last year in Abu Dhabi.
8. LOCAL FAVOURITES: Team Mexico DF will feature some familiar faces for the local fans, including Enrique Zuniga who was been a regular on the Mexican national basketball team for a decade.
9. GOATMENTATOR: He got more bars than all the slot machines of Vegas. Have no fear, Kyle Montgomery's in your ear for 10 hours of live 3x3 action.
10. MORE! Dunk highlights, Top 5, star profiles, mixtapes. Make sure to do what 50,000 people did before you: subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss a beat!
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