Main image: Elodie Tessier, Tamara Steeves, Puisand Lai, Kady Dandeneau of Canada. Photo Credit: IWBF

The Super Bowl in Sun City, South Africa hosted the inaugural IWBF 3×3 World Championships this weekend. In a historic first, the iconic venue showcased three full days of nonstop 3×3 action, with 8 teams in the women’s category competing across two groups. The competition featured countries making their debut on a world stage and provided a global showcase for the fast paced format of the game.

Playing 10 minute games with a 12 second shot clock, 3×3 which featured in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is rising in popularity as it provides a more accessible version of the game for both players and fans.

Over the weekend teams played 3 group games before moving on to the knockout rounds and Sunday’s finale- the gold medal game. In a thrilling end to the tournament, fans were treated to a match up between the reigning 3×3 Europe Cup champions Spain and the Commonwealth Games 3×3 Gold medalists Canada.

Canada, led by tournament MVP Kady Dandeneau, were the highest scoring team in the competition, averaging 17.5 per game and hit the 21 point mark twice. All members of the team represented Canada at the Tokyo and Paris Paralympics so this was a team who has been working together for many years. With 3 players on the floor who were part of the team that won Commonwealth gold in Dandeneau, Tamara Steeves and Elodie Tessier alongside Puisand Lai, Canada made history with a 17-12 win to be crowned the very first 3×3 World Champions.

Dandeneau, the 2020 and 2025 Wheelchair Basketball Canada Female Athlete of the Year, put on a shooting clinic throughout the tournament, hitting from inside and behind the arc, a player who was second in scoring at the Paris Paralympics with 23 ppg can do it all on the floor, and delivered big shots for Canada when they needed it. Tessier, who was named the tournament’s 2.5-3.5 All Star, and Lai (the 2023 Wheelchair Basketball Canada Female Athlete of the Year), were crucial in getting stops for the team and finding a cutting Steeves who banked in basket after basket. A historic first for Canada and a team who has shown their investment in developing 3×3 is paying dividends.

It was silver for Spain, who reached the final after a semi final win against Australia, their defensive identity on show all weekend as they patrolled the perimeter. Isabel Lopez’s inside game and Virginia Perez’s long range shooting were key for the team alongside the defensive pressure from Sara Revuelta and Sonia Ruiz. Revuelta was rewarded with the tournament’s 1.0-2.0 All Star award for her efforts.

With Ruiz and Revuelta both part of the Spanish 3×3 team who won the Europe Cup in Austria last year, and Revuelta competing in the FISU University Games in Germany just under two weeks ago, where the team took a silver medal, it shows how valuable building on their previous 3×3 experience has been.

The bronze medal match on Sunday saw Group A’s Australia and Great Britain face off as Australia came out on top in a narrow 12-10 victory. The Wombats rising star Ebony Stevenson, at just 15 years old, proved exactly why she is one to watch as she covered the entire court, chasing down rebounds and scoring underneath the basket. Named Wheelchair Basketball Australia’s 3.0 Player of the Year and Best 1st Year Player in 2024, she’s a player for not only the future but also right now. Georgia Munro-Cook, continued to pour in points for Australia scoring under pressure when needed as Hannah Dodd created space for her teammates. GB cut the lead down to 1 several times but Munro-Cook had an answer each time, demonstrating why she was awarded the 4.0-4.5 All Star.

All members of the Australian team play domestically in the Women’s National Wheelchair Basketball League where teams compete in both 5×5 and 3×3. This has certainly helped the country build on the foundations of their 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games success where Dodd was part of the team that won silver.

Travelling reserve Maryanne Latu, who was training with and cheering the team on from the sidelines had recently competed in the 3×3 Asia Oceania Cup where the Wombats also reached the semi finals. Head Coach Rob Pike has spoken about the value of that experience to prepare for the pace of this tournament. 3×3 is a clear development focus for Basketball Australia and the success of the Wombats and WNWBL proves it is paying off. They will be a team with an eye on the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2026.

For Great Britain, it was a 4th placed finish for a team which featured 3 players who represented Team Scotland in 3×3 in Birmingham, Robyn Love, Jude Hamer and Jess Whyte alongside GB U25 player Kayli English. Love and Hamer’s on court connection was out on display for all to see as the 3 time Paralympians, who have played on multiple National Teams together, provided experience for GB on the court as Love scored from midrange and directed her trademark no look passes to Hamer who hit shots all over the baseline. Love was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Edinburgh Napier University where she first started playing Wheelchair Basketball, recognising her efforts on an off the court to grow the game.

Jess Whyte, picked up rebounds under the hoop as English provided impact when she subbed in, finding a path to the basket and hitting layups.

GB came through the group stage in 2nd place as they beat South Africa’s Team B in the quarter final and lost to eventual winners Canada, in the semi final. With Scotland qualified as a host nation for Glasgow where 3×3 will feature, the team were competing under the banner of Great Britain and led by Basketball Scotland, who had taken on the responsibility of preparing and delivering the squad in an effort to support the growth of the Home Nations ahead of the Games.

In the placing games, Switzerland, who made their debut on the world stage this weekend, secured 5th place with an 8-1 win over South Africa’s Team A. The Swiss team, played the whole tournament with no substitutions as Luisa Jud, Wayra Huber and Mirjam Waller took to the court, the development from their opening game against Great Britain (a 12-3 loss) to the 5th place classification game was evident to see. Judd was the master of screens for the team, blocking defenders and creating space for the long range shooting of Waller who raced after every rebound she saw, while Huber stole the ball from her opponents and dished out pinpoint precision passes to Judd as she rolled to the basket.

With an average age of under 21 years old, the team who finished with a silver medal at the 3×3 Europe Cup last year, are one of the most exciting prospects on the games’ stage as the connection with each other and love for the game the players have is clear to see. Second in Europe and fifth in the World, Switzerland are making a splash in 3×3 and this is only the beginning of even greater things to come for the team.

South Africa, fielding two teams in the competition, one in Group A (6th place) and one in Group B (7th place), are another young group who showed their potential on the world stage. Team A featured the U25 2023 Africa Zone Qualifying Tournament MVP Asive Gilifile, who hit all 4 of Team A’s points against Switzerland in the group stage and continued to prove she can match up with the best on the boards. After leading the U25 World Championships in rebounds per game with 16.8 in 2023, Gilifile crashed the glass at the Super Bowl, securing second chances for South Africa throughout the competition.

Duduzile Gwaza showed her experience on the floor as the veteran poured in the points against Team B in the 5th place semi final. Michelle Moganedi, who Captained South Africa to a 5th place finish in Birmingham was the facilitator on the floor setting her teammates up, and Aviwe Ngoni proved herself to be a disruptive defender, reading passing lanes and knocking the ball out of bounds. For Team B, Ongezwa Hagu chased down rebounds as she secured position under the basket, showing the potential South Africa have to build around alongside teammates Samkelisiwe Mbatha, Aphilile Xhalisile and Zukiswa Gansa who all play together at the U25 level.

Coaching both teams through the tournament, Gcina Panyana has spoken previously about the importance of developing and providing Basketball facilities for teams in South Africa. With several players coming through the U25 team and looking towards the senior National Team, the tournament proved an important opportunity to display the potential of players who will aim to make that next step. With the Africa Zone Commonwealth Games qualifiers in December, Coach Panyana and the team will aim to secure a spot in Glasgow next year and keep their 3×3 development going.

Another team making the debut on a World stage was Kenya (8th place). Rahel Akoth secured rebounds for the team who along with Caroline Wanjira brought their experience in 3×3 from the 2022 Commonwealth Games alongside Joyce Ambassa and Beth Wanja who were both part of the Kenya training squad for 2022.

With the first IWBF 3×3 World Championships showcasing the game for fans, the IWBF has shown their commitment to 3×3 which is a key development focus for the organisation.
With an aim to create more opportunities for athletes and nations to engage with the game, the format provides pathways for teams on an international stage especially in countries where establishing 5×5 may prove challenging.

This weekend 3×3 was on display on a global stage, and for fans of the format, old and new, it set the standard for the future as interest around the game with a huge amount of potential, continues to grow. With the Glasgow Games coming up next year the energy around 3×3 is undeniable, it’s time to get involved!

All games are available on IWBF YouTube to watch here.

For more information on 3×3 and upcoming events visit https://www.iwbf.org/3×3