PR N°50 - Team Trbovlje edges out Kranj to win 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne Masters

30 Aug 2014

LAUSANNE (3x3) - Team Trbovlje defeated Kranj in a thrilling 17-16 overtime win in Saturday’s all-Slovenian final of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne Masters, which was held in the heart of the Olympic capital.

Former number one 3x3 player in the world Simon Finzgar was unstoppable in the deciding game, scoring 10 points, including a game-winning two-pointer in overtime.

The event’s top scorer (36 points overall) Jure Erzen had 7 while sharpshooter Dario Krejic added 6 points in a losing effort for Kranj, who had won the Lausanne Masters in 2013.

The two teams had met several times this season, including in the final of the 3x3 Slovenian Championship on 19 July and in the pool stage of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne Masters on Friday (29 August). Both times Kranj had won the game.

The Lausanne Masters also saw the fall of Team Ljubljana (ex-Brezovica) in the quarter-finals, which means the reigning FIBA 3x3 World Tour champions will not defend their title at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final in Tokyo, Japan on 11-12 October 2014.

In the individual competitions, the 1,65m Porter ‘What’s Gravity?!’ Maberry won the Dunk Contest as he jumped over a 2,08m big man. Team Ljubljana’s Jasmin Hercegovac showed great range to win the Samsung Shoot-Out Contest.

Team Trbovlje took home the 10,000 USD winning cheque while Kranj won 5,000 USD. Both qualified for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final.

Kranj already featured in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final, last year in Istanbul, Turkey on 4-5 October 2013, reaching fourth place, while Trbovlje (ex-Ljubljana) also finished fourth at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final, in the first-ever edition of the competition, in Miami on 22-23 September 2012.

Erzen, Krejic, Mensud Julevic (Kranj), Finzgar and Adin Kavgic (Trbovlje) made history by joining a group of now 18 players who played in all three editions of the World Tour (2012, 2013 and 2014).

Team Manila West (PHI), Doha (QAT), Wukesong (CHN), Saskatoon (CAN), Denver (USA), Novi Sad (SRB) and Bucharest (ROU) are the other seven teams who have already secured their ticket to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final.

Final Standings of the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne Masters
1. Trbovlje (SLO)
2. Kranj (SLO)
3. Amsterdam (NED)
4. Marburg (GER)
5. Monastir (TUN)
6. Ljubljana (SLO)
7. Belgrade (SRB)
8. Menton (FRA)
9. Split (CRO)
10. Dusseldorf (GER)
11. Lecco (ITA)
12. La Marsa (TUN)

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About FIBA and 3x3 basketball

Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 basketball is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.

It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefitted from the launch of a yearly city-based 3x3 World Tour (www.3x3worldtour.com) and national-team world championships.

For further information about the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and 3x3 basketball, visit fiba.com/3x3, twitter.com/3x3planet and youtube.com/3x3planet or contact 3x3@fiba.com.

FIBA