SOLETEAM - LIDINGÖ GNB

There's no Off-season. Not since 3X3 took the scene some years back and extended the basketball season all year around. And even tho the scene in Sweden is not as big as in other countries, it's growing every year. And last week the Swedish Tour for 2023 tipped off in Stockholm.

The Swedish Federation together with their sponsors hosted a great event at the legendary Stockholms Stadion, home of the Summer Olympics of 1912. Since I live near I drove past that stadium all my life growing up, but I've only been there maybe 10-15 times. One soccer game, some events and of course Michael Jackson's Dangerous Tour in 1992. This stadium is old and very special, and it was a great venue for the 3X3 Tour.

Our Soleteam from Lidingö "Guns N' Buckets" took part in the event and won their group stage with ease, then went up against the Nocco Team starring some great 3x3 players in the Semifinals. After a tough physical game, GNB won and advanced to the Finals against the winner between two great 3x3 teams who I've seen at more or less every event I've been to last couple of years, Men In Black and Supercool Laget. My favorites to win was Men In Black, but Supercoola Laget always end up in the Finals, they got one player who's really efficient. Not to pull out the Jokic commparising, but I heard at least 4 others guys saying "he's like their Jokic, everything goes thru him..."

If you're not familiar with how 3x3 is played, it's 10 minutes game, or the first team to 21. As I watched more and more of these tournaments, I understand the concept of living by the 3 or dying by the 3 more and more. If you're 4 points with 4 minutes left in a regular game, there's an eternity of time to get stops and score. But in a 3x3 game being down 16-12 is do or die, and that's when the 3 comes in to play. In the Finals neither team would reach 21, so after 10 minutes our guys stood as Champions of the Tour.

This will be a great summer with ton of 3x3 Basketball.