Sin City Classic in Las Vegas 7/14-7/16

July 12, 2023

Welcome to the latest edition of The Drive! This is your inside pass into the world of 3×3 and our amazing team, where we bring you behind-the-scenes access, game updates, and all the latest news straight from the court.

Today we are recapping the win at Baoding Challenger in China and doing final prep for the Sin City Classic in Las Vegas (Live Stream on BallerTV).

Latest News 📰

Princeton 3x3 wins title in Baoding!

Princeton 3x3 won the Baoding Challenger in China on June 18, 2023, taking home a $20k prize. This was our first title on the Pro Circuit in two years. It was a gritty performance as we only had 3 available players - Zahir Carrington, Damon Huffman and Henry Caruso - meaning no subs throughout the entire event! We went 1-1 in pool play, and then beat 14th ranked Paris 21-18 in the quarter-finals, 10th ranked Serbian powerhouse, Liman Huishan NE, 21-11 in the semi-finals, and 5th ranked Raudonvaris Hoptrans (Lithuania) 21-20 in overtime to secure the win. Complete FIBA 3x3 Team Rankings can be found here.

Caruso wins MVP!

Henry Caruso dazzled in his 3x3 debut and was named MVP of the Boading Challenger, averaging 6.6 points per game (PPG) and a tournament-high 9.0 rebounds per game. Sharpshooter Damon Huffman (“Hoof”) led the tournament in scoring with 9.8 PPG, hitting 19-of-50 (38%) from beyond the arc, and fellow 3x3 veteran, Zahir Carrington (“Z”) led the tournament with 5 blocks and made 13-of-18 (72%) one-point field goals.

Up Next ⌛

Las Vegas Sin City Classic (July 14-15)

Where to watch: BallerTV (link)

Event level: Lite Quest

Prize: First place gets an entry, and paid travel, to the World Tour Masters in Edmonton (July 28-29) - $50k prize to the winner in Edmonton. Second place gets an entry, and paid travel, to the San Juan Challenger (October 14-15) - $20k prize to the winner in San Juan.

Princeton’s Sin City Roster (Bold):

Here’s a quick look back to a 2017 interview with Henry Caruso who joined Santa Clara after four seasons with Princeton.

Note: Lite Quest events only require teams to include 2 players from the Pro Circuit roster in order to use the team name and to earn the prize invitations for first and second place. Jerome is not on our Pro Circuit roster but will be playing for Princeton 3x3 in this event.

Calendar 📅

Upcoming Pro Circuit events we’re playing in:

  • Yichang Challenger in China (August 5-6). This event is a Qualifier for the Constanta Masters (September 9-10) in Romania.

  • Lausanne Masters in Switzerland (August 18-19)

You can find the complete 2023 FIBA 3x3 Pro Circuit calendar here.

What we’re watching 👀

  • Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier will start their own 3-on-3 league. Link

  • Linnae Harper goes from USA Basketball 3x3 to the Washington Mystics. Link

  • Yankees secure team’s first jersey patch sponsor. Link

  • MSG Sphere lights up just in time for our 3x3 event in Vegas. Link

Something Different About 3x3 📙

Teams on the 3x3 Pro Circuit shoot a higher field goal percentage from inside the arc compared to NBA and NCAA teams, but they shoot a lower field goal percentage from beyond the arc. Take a look at the numbers from last season’s champs in each league.

2022-23 NCAA Champ: Uconn Huskies

  • 2P% = 0.54

  • 3P% = 0.36

2022-23 NBA Champ: Denver Nuggets

  • 2P% = 0.58

  • 3P% = 0.38

2022 World Tour Finals Champ: Ub Huishan NE (Serbia)

  • 1P% = 0.71

  • 2P% = 0.33

Things to know 💡

Princeton 3x3 is the most decorated US men’s 3x3 team. We became America’s first fully professional FIBA 3x3 franchise in 2018. 9 different members of our team have played on the national team, and we crossed the $500k mark in prize money won in 2021, by far the most of any US team. Our mascot is a turtle. Drive 3x3, which operates Princeton 3x3, also launched Chicago 3x3 in 2022.

Thanks for reading!

- Drive 3×3 Team