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Preparations for the hugely popular Hoptrans 3×3 tournament are gathering momentum: it was officially unveiled at a press conference on Thursday. The Lithuanian 3×3 Basketball Association is organizing the tournament in Palanga in July together with the Lithuanian Basketball League (LKL).
The tournament’s nominal sponsor is the well-known Hoptrans logistics group in Europe.
“It is unusual to support sport and culture in these tough economic times, but we are different. We want to continue our tradition of helping basketball and being a socially responsible company.
Our goal is to support the most popular sport in Lithuania, to provide compensation for the LKL season, which ended prematurely, “said Vytas Volkevičius, Chairman of the Board of Hoptrans Holding.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Lithuanian Basketball Federation (LKF), which will grant him the status of an official tournament, also contribute to the organization of the event.
Basketball players participating in the tournament are expected to accumulate enough FIBA 3×3 qualification points to allow them to participate in the selection for the Tokyo Olympics.
According to LKF Secretary General Mindaugas Špokas, this is a great opportunity to rally the strongest team possible and fight for a ticket to the Olympics.
“We have an opportunity to see two Lithuanian basketball teams at the Olympics.” Three years ago, no one expected us to be in that position.
I want to emphasize that this is a unique project in the world: we will be the first to combine the main league and 3×3 basketball. For the players, this will be an opportunity to demonstrate their value and perhaps represent Lithuania in the future, ”said M. Špokas.
Nine LKL clubs will compete in the Hoptrans 3×3 tournament: Vilnius Rytas, Klaipėda Neptūnas, Panevėžys Lietkabelis, Utena Juventus, Pasvalys Pieno Žvaigždės, Prienai CBet, Alytus Sintek-Dzūkija, Šiauliai “Y Kėinia” and “Kuliainia”
Three 3×3 basketball teams will join them, including Šakiai “Vytis-Gulbelė”, who is sixth in the FIBA 3×3 world ranking.
“LKL enthusiastically agreed to participate in this project. 3×3 basketball is becoming increasingly popular, it is not unnecessarily included in the Olympic Games. I hope our project will be long term,” said LKL President Remigijus Milašius.
M. Špokas added that it will be interesting to see the LKL players in the basketball trio.
“High-level basketball players will be tested on the field. They will not have their full scope, they will have to adapt to the details,” said the LKF Secretary General.
The Hoptrans 3×3 tournament will consist of three teams and a final stage. A stage will last two days, and the competitions will take place over four consecutive weekends.
Tournament prize fund – 74 thousand. The matches will be broadcast on TV6.
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