An opportunity to grow the game in Israel with the 3x3 Super Quest

TEL AVIV (Israel) - Emerging as an exciting 3x3 destination, Israel will showcase its growing talent and resources on the world stage during its Super Quest event on March 18-19.

The 12-team Israel 3x3 Super Quest will be one of the first 3x3 major tournament this year and features familiar World Tour Russian side Gagarin, while providing important preparation for Austrian team Graz ahead of the upcoming Doha Masters.

There will be 10 Israeli teams in a first glimpse for many of the country's talent in the 21-point game. Israeli Basketball Association professional department head Eran Atiya believed Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv and Afula were teams to watch, while there were several standout players whom fans should pay close attention to.

"Especially, Roy Paretsky and Shoham Gat from the Tel Aviv team who won the bronze medal at the FIBA 3x3 U18 Europe Cup 2019 held in Tbilisi, as well as Guy Palatin from Ramat Gan," he said.

Due to an unparalleled vaccination campaign, with more than half of Israel's population already inoculated, fans will be in attendance in a rare sight for sports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Fans will be allowed to present a vaccinated certificate at the entrance," Atiya said. "Another platform will be a stand for quick antigen test.

"Any fan who arrives and is not vaccinated can enter a quick test that will give an answer within 15 minutes and, if it is negative, will be able to enter."

There has been an explosion in popularity of 3x3 in various parts of the world in recent times and Israel is at the forefront of this rise. 3x3 has been around in this historic country for some time but things have started to develop there in the past couple of years with the ultimate goal being for Israel to make the 2024 Olympics.

"For the past two years, the basketball association and its leaders have decided to leverage this wonderful game," Atiya said.

"The Basketball Association has decided to develop the 3x3 game in Israel and it is important to do so at the highest level as we have done in recent years in Israeli basketball and its status in Europe and the world."

With this event set to feature a frenzy of action on the court and in the stands, Israel is looming as an intoxicating 3x3 locale.

"It was important for us to host a tournament of this magnitude in order to put the game on the map of Israel and Israel on the 3x3 map," Atiya said.

"We definitely want to establish a competitive group that will be part of the professional circle and participate in the World Tour."

The event will be livestreamed on the official FIBA 3x3 YouTube channel on Thursday and Friday.

FIBA