San Juan Challenger Preview

Hey half-court hoop fans,

Welcome to the latest edition of The Drive, your inside pass to the world of 3×3, where we bring you behind-the-scenes access, game updates, and all the latest news straight from the court. Let’s dive right into the action!

Amsterdam Masters Recap

Princeton hit the court at the Amsterdam Masters, and the script was refreshingly different. Known for slow starts this season, Princeton defied expectations, going 2-0 in the Pool Stage. We toppled Antwerp and Beijing, two seasoned teams ranked #3 and #8 in the world, respectively. It was a statement of how good we can be when we're firing on all cylinders. The journey hit a bump in the quarterfinals when we faced the red-hot Vienna team, who eventually claimed the championship. We wrapped up the event in 5th place, with $10,000 in our pockets.

Princeton's pool play excellence was anchored by a stalwart defense, led by the seasoned veteran, Zahir Carrington. We allowed just 14.5 points per game (PPG), and Zahir's presence in the paint allowed us to play aggressively on the perimeter, holding opponents to 3-24 on 2FGs, 12.5%. King McClure took charge on the scoring front with 20 points in three games. After his first 25 games in 3x3, King holds the highest scoring average (6.40 PPG) of any Princeton player. Damon Huffman showcased his free-throw prowess, leading all players in made free throws (9) and attempted free throws (11) in just three games. And no surprise here, Henry Caruso led all players in rebounds per game at 6.3.

Around the World

Princeton moved up the standings to become the 16th-ranked team in the world via FIBA 3x3 Points and the 12th-ranked team in the World Tour Final Standings. If the season ended right now, we'd be in the World Tour Final. However, there are still six more World Tours on the horizon, so there's plenty of excitement to come. Our performance in upcoming events will be crucial to our season, and we can’t wait to get back on the court.

San Juan Challenger Preview

Roster

• Isaiah Wilkerson

• Henry Caruso

• Jerome Desrosiers

• Zahir Carrington

In an unusual twist for any North American team, we're finally playing in our own time zone. Jerome Desrosiers will make his Pro Circuit debut in San Juan. This lineup may be one of our bigger ones, but it's also one of the less experienced ones, so showing up strong on Day 1 will be vital.

Pool D

• Paris (4) France

• Princeton (5) USA

• Lidingo City (13) Sweden

Upcoming Schedule

• October 14-15 San Juan (Puerto Rico) Challenger

• November 2-4 Neom (Saudi Arabia) Challenger

• November 4th Hoop It Up National Championship

Crack the Shell

In the San Juan Challenger, seven teams from North and South America are competing. The big question is, will one of them seize the crown? Yes or No?

Plus, three of the best rebounders on the Pro Circuit will battle it out in San Juan:

• Henry Caruso: Princeton (6.1 RPG)

• Weather Molteni: Lausanne (5.8 RPG)

• Aurelijus Pukelis: Raudondvaris (4.8 RPG)

Who do you think will grab the most total rebounds in San Juan?

That's a wrap for this edition of the FIBA 3x3 newsletter. Stay tuned for more 3x3 action and analysis right here.

Thanks for reading!

- Drive3×3 Team