13 Sandra Ygueravide (ESP)
18/10/2019
3x3
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Ygueravide’s FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series summer

VALENCIA (Spain) – FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series star Sandra Ygueravide says on her Instagram account she has a degree in journalism… so we put her to the test. Here’s the recap of her experience making history in the 1st-ever FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series, where Spain finished 5th overall.

On my team, Spain, like many others, players play pro basketball during the year and 3x3 for a few weeks during the summer.

But this summer has been different. We’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the 1st edition of the FIBA 3x3 Women´s Series and compete against the same great teams we usually face in the Europe Cup or a World Cup competition. Let´s start from the beginning. 

 When the Spanish Federation informed us that the Women´s Series would be a reality and we would have the opportunity to compete all summer against the best players, keep learning, keep improving, keep preparing ... no doubt, we all wanted to be part of this project! We knew it was going to be a hard and intense summer, but we hoped that it would be worth it.

 
Actually, I can say it was even harder when one of our teammates got injured before the World Cup and the beginning of the Women´s Series, so the four of us who played the World Cup had to reschedule our holidays to attend the stops that we already signed up for. Anyway, we are fighters and we were so excited to play this first Women´s Series, no matter what happened. This was enough to get us motivated.

Spain was lucky to be in six of the stops and each one of them had special moments. I was able to play in three of them:

Our first one was Lignano, where we reached our first final of the summer. I think this stop marked a turning point for us as a team. We faced some of the best teams like Italy, Canada and China. We started the competition indoor because of the weather, but the second day was a great sunny day. I especially remember the game against Canada. They were first in the other pool and didn't have to play the quarter-finals, so we knew it would be a tough one. But looking back now, it was probably our best game in Lignano. We managed to control the game since the very beginning which is not easy in 3x3. We reached the final and even losing against the World Champions China, we ended up with the feeling that we were able to do anything, and we could compete with anyone from any country. This was the beginning of an unforgettable summer and we still had a lot to live. 

 

La Rochelle was the competition that we enjoyed the most because it was a charming place, with spectacular organization. The court was in the port, surrounded by the sea and had a great reception by the public. No matter what the game was, you felt that people were enjoying it and this has been one of the best things of each of the stops we have lived. The audience lived every game, every action of the game and enjoyed watching us play.

In this stop we reached the final again, in this case against France, a team that did so well all summer long. Unfortunatly another second place for us. 

 But this stop was special for us, as a team. Usually we leave first time in the morning the day after an event. For once, we actually had time to do some sightseeing and have a good lunch by the sea before heading back to Spain.

Finally the hardest one, Debrecen, a city that breathes basketball was also our last test before the Europe Cup. The team met for the first time since early August and we were looking to find our chemistry again. We started where we left off some weeks earlier. We had a tough pool with teams which we would face again a few days later at the Europe Cup. After Day one we realized how much we learned this summer. We finished first in our group and faced Hungary in the semifinals, the first time that we saw each other again after they eliminated us in the World Cup. There wasn't much else to say before that game, for us it felt like the Final. Looking back, Debrecen was the hardest stop, every game was tougher than the previous one but we reached our third final. 

 
3x3 has to be experienced! And the Women´s Series allowed us to do it, we enjoyed every stop, every city, every game, every victory and every defeat... because that is also what it is about, knowing that every moment lived this summer has made us better and it has helped us grow as a team. 

It is not easy to handle such a busy summer, especially without resting after a long basketball season. I don't know how many times some of these questions have been asked to me this summer: are you going to rest? Do you have WS again? No holidays? And to each of those people I have answered the same thing, I love it, I enjoy every minute of it and if we could go to each of the WS 15 stops, we would have certainly done it.

The summer always meant rest and work, almost equally, to be prepared for the next season. But this summer, everything has been different. This summer resting wasn't much of an option. If the question is, was it worth it? The answer is clear, yes.

The Women´s Series gave us the opportunity to get to know each other more, to meet players from other teams and to live moments that in other championships is difficult to have. And all of this has made it special. Bike rides, beach baths, a thousand tv shows or playing cards… but above all what has defined each trip have been laughs, lots of laughs. 

 
3x3 is passion, it is strength, it is struggle, it is courage, it is intensity… It means not giving up, fighting and competing until the last second every game. There are people who still do not understand what we live when we are on that court, because as I said, 3x3 you need to experience it, as a player or as a fan. Thanks to the Women´s Series people in Spain followed us and they have been hooked on it. We need to keep supporting 3x3 and keep growing together because it's amazing. Those of you who are already fans, I hope you continue to be so, and those who are not, you guys don´t know what you are missing.

 The Women´s Series is a reality now and me and my teammates couldn't be more proud to be part of it.