Former Rocket Jaelan Sanford will compete in the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s 3×3 National Championship Friday and Saturday, May 3-4, in Las Vegas.
Sanford will be part of the Mid-American Conference’s 3×3 squad that placed third in the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship at the Mall of America in early April.
Jaelan Sanford will compete in USA Basketball Men’s 3×3 National Championship in Las Vegas.
Sanford averaged 5.3 points per game in seven games in the 3X3U event while shooting 53.6 percent (15 of 28) from three-point range.
A two-time All-MAC selection, Sanford completed his senior season at Toledo in March by leading the Rockets to a second-straight outright MAC West Division title, an NIT appearance, and the second most wins (25) in a season in program history.
The free, public event will be held for the first time outdoors at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. The USA 3×3 Nationals will tip off with preliminary games from 3 to -10:30 p.m. Pacific Time Friday, May 3. The preliminary round will continue from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time Saturday, May 4, and, after teams are seeded based on preliminary records, the knockout round will begin Saturday at 5:40 p.m.
The men’s championship game, which will be streamed live on USA Basketball’s website, is set to tip at 10:20 p.m.
In addition to the lure of a national championship, the event will serve as the 2019 USA Basketball Men’s 3×3 National Team trials, as all eligible athletes will be in consideration for selection to the 2019 USA Men’s 3×3 World Cup and 2019 USA Men’s 2019 U.S. Pan American Games 3×3 Basketball teams.
Olympic fans will see the launch of a new basketball discipline with the inclusion of 3×3 in 2020. The exciting and fast-paced game officially was unveiled in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and has since become a fan favorite at Fédération Internationale de Basketball 3×3 World Cup events.
Played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner. The nonstop action of 3×3 will make it one of the hottest tickets in Tokyo, and fans in Las Vegas will get an early taste of that excitement during the USA Basketball 3×3 Nationals.
Held annually since 2012, this year marks the eighth edition of the USA Basketball 3×3 National Championships, and the first time the nationals will be held outside of Colorado Springs, Colo.
