Edmonton ready to host FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Final Stop
Six teams will meet in the heart of Alberta, Canada on September 21-22, as they strive to leave the two-day Edmonton event victorious.
Six teams will meet in the heart of Alberta, Canada on September 21-22, as they strive to leave the two-day Edmonton event victorious.
Canada are not only the hosting team; they enter the event as clear favourites and will not be satisfied with anything less than a win. They have played thirty games so far and won 23 of them over the Women’s Series, which explains their position at 2nd in the standings. They have come out of three of their most recent events as consecutive winners, in Prague, Bucharest and Montreal. The team features sisters Katherine and Michelle Plouffe, who have averaged 6.5 and 7.5 points per game respectively.
In the 2nd seed, Spain will be hoping to make some noise in Canada. They recently finished as runners up in Debrecen and possess a 15-10 record over the season thus far. They will be led by Aitana Cuevas – Spain’s top 3x3 players, whose multifaceted game continues to hugely impact her team.
Italy are yet to win an event this year, so they will aim to break through that barrier in Edmonton. They sit 3rd in the standings and that can be largely attributed to the play of standout talent "Rae Rae" who is currently 2nd in both overall rebounds and points.
Having played in six events this year, Poland have yet to match their peak performance in Prague, where they managed to place 2nd in early August. A win in Edmonton would mark significant progress for the team. The same goes for the Czech Republic, who have struggled to recreate their form from July, when they emerged victorious in Poitiers.
In a summer in which American teams are underachieving on the international stage, the 6th seed USA are not bucking that trend. They have only managed ten wins of a possible 26. It would be a welcome surprised for them if they could manage an upset in Edmonton.
Will Canada defend home-court, can Spain or Italy take home the winnings or will somebody pull off a shock victory? Either way, the people of Canada can expect a fiercely competitive contest, as the Women’s Series reaches its last Stop.