MIES (Switzerland) - You thought this would be a quiet weekend because there are no World Tour or Challenger events? Think again.
Don't bother doing something else because there are several key events on the pro circuit that will determine all-important tickets to upcoming WT stops in Debrecen and Bucharest.
Let's take a look at the action.
WT Debrecen: August 29-31
Winners from three events will qualify for the annual WT Debrecen, the 10th Stop this season.
The 3x3 Austria Tour: August 9
This one-day event in Gmund will be action packed as 12 Austrian teams fight for a spot in Debrecen. The red-hot favorite will be Vienna (AUT), who fly the Austrian flag so proudly at WT events and they will unleash a formidable squad led by superstar Nico Kaltenbrunner that should be too strong for their compatriots.
Campionatul National Masculin: August 9-10
The two-day event in Bucharest, Romania, features 12 Romanian teams eager to get their ticket to WT Debrecen. It looms as an even race, but we're keeping an eye out on young guns CSU Galati (ROU), with teenager Alex Cernat tipped to be the next big Romanian star.
This one-day Quest event in Dusseldorf, Germany, will be absolutely lit with eight teams fighting for a spot in Debrecen. The draw contains some of the very best teams on the planet. Competition will be fierce with Amsterdam (NED) determined to make it to Debrecen as they attempt to break a title drought this season.
They will be led by superstar Worthy de Jong, who will have to be every bit worth the hype because he might have to battle rival Franck Seguela at some point. The Frenchman will be leading Toulouse (FRA) in this ridiculously tough draw that also features Hangzhou (CHN), who can beat anyone when high-flyer Aleksandar Lazic ignites them.
Utrecht (NED) have their own dunking machine with Nesta Agasi capable of inspiring his team on a giant-killing run.
WT Bucharest: November 8-9
The winner from this Quest event in Montreux, Switzerland, will qualify for Bucharest, the final stop of the regular season.
Montreux 3x3 Volume 4: August 9
This is another loaded draw featuring 12 teams hungry for their ticket to Bucharest. All eyes will be on Carolina (PUR) fresh off their runner-up finish at WT Edmonton. Expect sniper Antonio Ralat to once again be deadly in the clutch, but so too sharpshooter Stefan Kojic who has starred for his new team Skyliners (GER).
Riffa (BRN) have had a tough season, but they are ready to regroup and will look to two-way superstar Dennis Donkor to get them going.
There will be plenty of Swiss teams out to impress on home soil, with the favorites being Lausanne (SUI) led by World Cup hero Carlos Martinez and Lugano (SUI) as OG Westher Molteni looks to remind everyone that he is King Wes on the half-court.
FIBA