FIBA 3×3 World summit awaits the Gangurrus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Basketball Australia is announcing the Gangurrus 3×3 teams selected to compete at the upcoming FIBA 3×3 World Cup to be hosted in Warsaw from 1 – 7 June.

The Gangurrus women have locked in a lineup with established chemistry to compete against the World with Olympians Marena Whittle and Amy Atwell. Hannah Hank and Emma Clarke complete a group with reps and big game experience.

It will be another opportunity for iconic 3×3 figurehead Damon Lowery to work his magic with the Paris Olympics coach chasing further success at the World Cup.

The men will take a rangy group into the tournament with Asia Cup shooter Jonah Antonio selected. Lachie Barker and Alex Higgins-Titsha return with their most recent appearance for Gangurrus at the FIBA 3×3 Champions Cup in March. Jarred Bairstow will don the green and gold for the first time after a stack of experience on the 3×3 pro circuit in Quests and World Tour.

Adam Forde will head to his second World Cup as coach of the Gangurrus 3×3 men. There’s a notable omission with the absence of Dillon Stith, who incurred an untimely leg injury playing in the NBL1 for Kilsyth.

The Gangurrus will fly into Serbia early for a training camp and preparation fixtures against Serbia (Men) and Azerbaijan (Women) from 27 – 30 May.

All games will be broadcast live on FIBA 3×3 Youtube. Check out the full schedule here.

THE STORY SO FAR

GANGURRUS 3X3 WOMEN

The women’s program are no strangers to the podium across their 3×3 tournament history. The first ever Australian team to qualify and compete at a 3×3 World Cup was a Gangurrus women’s team featuring Tess Madgen, Sara Blicavs, Katie Ray-Ebzery and Alice Kunek in 2012. That trailblazing team won bronze in Athens.

In 2023, it was eventual Olympians Whittle, Anneli Maley, Ally Wilson and Lauren Mansfield to equal the bronze achievement. The sky remains the limit for Lowery and Gang Gang.

The women commence their tournament on 3 June with Mongolia (2:30 AEST) and then USA (4:45 AEST). They face Spain and Hungary on 5 July to determine progression to the knockout rounds.

GANGURRUS 3X3 MEN

The highest finish for the men at the World Cup has been 10th twice, 2019 in Amsterdam and 2025 in Ulaanbaatar. Antonio and Higgins-Titsha remain from last year’s World Cup and the duo will be determined to drive a greater outcome paired with Barker and Baistow in June.

The men kick their tournament off against Spain on 2 June (3:20 AEST) and Austria (5:10 AEST). They play two more fixtures against Madagascar and Serbia on 4 June.