COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (July 17, 2023) – USA Basketball announced today the men’s and women’s 2023 USA 3x3 U23 Nations Leagues teams set to compete at the 2023 3x3 U23 Nations League July 24-30 in Rancagua, Chile.
The 2023 USA 3x3 Women’s U23 Nations League Team features NCAA Division I athletes, including Azana Baines (Seton Hall), Dyaisha Fair (Syracuse), Leilani Kapinus (Penn State), Madison Scott (Ole Miss), Sydney Taylor (Louisville) and Hailey Van Lith (LSU).
Van Lith adds another assignment to her busy summer with USA Basketball. The LSU guard won gold at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in June and was also announced as a member of the USA U24 Women’s Series team. Scott is also a member of the U24 Women’s Series team and has participated in two FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series stops so far this summer. Baines, who played with Seton Hall at 2023 USA Basketball 3X Nationals, joins Fair, Kapinus and Taylor in making their USA Basketball international debuts.
Christina Batastini will serve as head coach. She is also an assistant coach on the USA U24 3x3 Women’s Series team and served as court coach at the 2023 3x3 Women’s Senior Team trials in Colorado Springs.
The men’s roster will be represented by players from Colorado College. The six-member roster will include Dinari Boykin, Trey Crawford, Asher Nofziger, Devin Philio, Adrian Price and Scott Ruegg.
Boykin was the SCAC’s First Year Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection this past season. Ruegg was a third team all-SCAC selection, while Crawford and Price were each named honorable mention. Meanwhile, Philio tied for the team lead with 21 blocked shots and second with 5.3 rebounds per game, while Nofziger averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in his first collegiate season.
The team will be led by Sydney Johnson. He has served as a team scout for February 2023 Men’s World Cup Qualifying and February 2020 Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying teams.
The 2023 USA 3x3 U23 Nations League teams will compete in the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League Americas Conference. The competition will feature six three-game tournaments in seven days. The six team members can substitute as needed for each day’s four-person entry. The winning team in each of 13 conference events hosted worldwide will qualify for the FIBA 3x3 U23 Nations League Final Sept. 13-15 in Mongolia.
The USA participated last month at the FIBA 3x3 U21 Nations League Asia-Pacific conference in Handan, China. The USA women placed first in the conference and qualified for the U23 Nations League Final in Mongolia, while the men finished third.
The 2023 3x3 U23 Nations League will stream live on YouTube at www.youtube.com/fiba3x3.
Different than five-on-five, 3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams “clear” the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basketball, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-pointer field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.
The 2023 USA 3x3 U23 Nations Leagues teams will train in Miami Lakes, Florida, July 19-21 before traveling to Chile. Media interested in covering training camp may apply for credentials by emailing communications@usabasketball.com.