News
Darwin to host NBL 3×3 Pro Hustle Final
The Northern Territory Government and National Basketball League are proud to announce that the final event of the 2019 3×3 Pro Hustle Tour will be held at Darwin Convention Centre on Sat 27th & Sun 28th April as part of the Arafura Games.
The event will serve as the final stop in the 3×3 Pro Hustle Tour with the best 3×3 players battling it out for a total prize pool of USD $100,000 across male and female categories, split equally.
The 2019 Arafura Games will be a biennial event held over eight days, from 26 April to 4 May 2019, and will be led by Mr Ken Vowles MLA, Minister for Arafura Games.
“The 3×3 Pro Hustle Basketball is a fabulous addition to the Arafura Games schedule and will draw even more visitors and increase tourism spending for Darwin” Mr Vowles said.
The inaugural Pro Hustle Tour took place in early 2018 with teams representing the Northern Territory starring in the opening events that took place in Melbourne.
Anne Coleman, Chairperson of Basketball Northern Territory acknowledged the key role that the 3×3 form of the game played in the region.
“3x3Hustle provides a pathway for all aspiring basketball players across Northern Territory, whether that be at the grass roots with Street Hustle all the way through to Pro Hustle at the elite level,” Coleman explained.
“We acknowledge the great work that NBL & Basketball Australia are doing to develop this exciting format of the game which makes participation easier and more affordable.”
The 3×3 Pro Hustle is the pinnacle of the sport in Australia, and the route for teams to ultimately make their way onto the prestigious FIBA World Tour where the prize money exceeds USD $1 million.
3×3’s growth in Australia coincides with the 3x3Hustle pathway being launched by the NBL in conjunction with Basketball Australia.
NBL Chief Operating Officer Andy Crook hailed the announcement as the next great step for 3x3Hustle brand as it continues to expand its schedule of events in 2019.
“We are excited about the opportunity for Darwin to host the final event of the 2019 3×3 Pro Hustle and thank the Northern Territory Government and Minister Vowles for their support of this event,” Crook explained.
“Basketball is booming in Australia with over one million people playing the sport, our national teams are winning medals all over the world, the NBL is attracting record attendances and broadcast audiences.
“The 3×3 Pro Hustle is fast, energetic and exciting. 3×3 will make its debut as an Olympic sport at Tokyo in 2020 and basketball will also adopt the 3×3 format for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. FIBA 3×3 Ranking points from the Pros Hustle will go towards Australia’s qualification for the Olympics as well as individual athletes.”
The announcement of Darwin’s inclusion as the final stop of the 3×3 Pro Hustle follows Geelong named as hosting the second instalment of the tour.
The location of the first 3×3 Pro Hustle Tour stop will be revealed in the coming weeks.
