STANFORD, Calif. – Incoming freshmen Fran Belibi and Haley Jones will compete this weekend in the 2019 USA Basketball 3x3 U18 National Championships at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In addition to the lure of a national championship, the event also will serve as the 2019 USA Basketball Women's 3x3 U18 National Team trials, and all competing athletes will be in consideration for selection to 2019 USA 3x3 U18 World Cup Team.
The USA 3x3 U18 Nationals will tip-off the morning of Saturday, April 13, with preliminary round games held at the USOTC in Sports Center 2. After teams are seeded based on preliminary records, the knockout rounds will begin Sunday morning in Sports Center 1.
Olympic fans will see the launch of a new basketball discipline with the inclusion of 3x3 in 2020. The exciting and fast-paced game officially was unveiled in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and since has become a fan favorite at FIBA 3x3 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.
Participating teams earned their spots in the 2019 USA Basketball 3x3 U18 National Championships either through a 3x3 qualifying tournament or via an invitation from USA Basketball.
Belibi is on Team Denver while Jones will play for Quest.
Belibi previously appeared in the 2017 USA 3x3 U18 National Championship, which has been held in Colorado Springs annually since 2013, and was a member of the 2017 USA U16 National Team that won gold at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Both Belibi and Jones won gold medals last summer with the United States at the FIBA U17 World Cup in Minsk, Belarus. Jones was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists in seven starts for Team USA.
Among numerous accolades, the two were both on the 10-member WBCA High School Coaches' All-America team along with being USA TODAY High School Sports first team All-Americans and the respective Gatorade High School Players of the Year from their states.
Jones is the nation's consensus No. 1 recruit and the Naismith National High School Player of the Year. Belibi, who became the first woman since Candace Parker in 2004 to win the Powerade Jam Fest dunk title at the McDonald's All-American Game in late March, is the No. 23 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100.
Belibi, Jones and fellow signee Ashten Prechtel, another five-star talent and the No. 16 overall player in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100, are scheduled to appear in the Jordan Brand Classic on April 20 in at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The three were on the West Team for the McDonal'd All-American Game on March 27 in Atlanta.
The Cardinal's incoming class, which also includes five-star talent Hannah Jump from nearby Pinewood School, is ranked second nationally by espnW HoopGurlz.
