3x3 basketball

3x3 basketball is played three-on-three on half a court, with a single basket and a ball that is slightly smaller and heavier than that used in traditional basketball. Matches last 10 minutes or end earlier, as soon as one team reaches 21 points: baskets are worth 1 point from inside the arc and 2 from outside; there are no half-times and the possession clock counts down to 12 seconds. It has its roots in the playground: it is street basketball, played for decades in the neighbourhoods of New York and in squares across the globe, which FIBA formalised in 2007, turning it into an official discipline. The first World Cup was held in 2012, and the sport made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, with a format designed for urban courts, music and a close-up crowd. From a technical standpoint, it is an extremely demanding sport: defence and attack continue without any change of pace, with limited rotations (four players per team, three on court) and no break after conceding a basket. What counts are the three-point shot, one-on-one ability and stamina in the final minutes. At the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto in 2026, 3x3 will be played from 29 August to 1 September at the Giardini Peripato, in the heart of the city, with two titles up for grabs: the men’s tournament and the women’s tournament.

• 1Three players on the court per team plus one substitute, on a half-court with a single basket
• 21-point shots from inside the arc and 2-point shots from outside; the winner is the team that reaches 21 points or is ahead after 10 minutes
• 3Twelve seconds to complete the play, with no break after conceding a basket
• 4After every basket or defensive rebound, the ball must be brought back beyond the arc
• 5Two titles in Taranto: men’s and women’s tournaments at the Giardini Peripato