SINGAPORE: Singapore has witnessed a significant surge in the popularity of three-a-side basketball, including the Singapore National 3X3 League 2024 (NXL24) launch by the Basketball Association of Singapore earlier this year.
This inaugural league boasted an impressive lineup of former national players, including alumni of the Singapore Slingers, who have previously showcased their skills in the prestigious ASEAN Basketball League.
Seven tours were played across CapitaLand malls in Singapore, with the inaugural competition held at Sengkang Grand Mall on the weekend of Feb 17 and 18.
“In the 2025 edition, we aim to elevate Singapore basketball to a higher level. We also hope to find more like-minded sponsors and partners to promote urban sports in Singapore,” said Mr New Wei Sheng, Lead Organiser, NXL24.
According to the NXL24 Lead Organiser, the second edition of the competition is scheduled to start in January 2025.
The league hopes to collaborate and work closely with various groups, including those from the school, street fashion community and grassroots.
At the first tour this year, NTSC 1 and NTSC 3 won the men’s and women’s categories, respectively.
NTSC 1 saw off the challenge of Mettle Hawks to win by a razor-thin score of 21-20 in the men’s final, while NSTC 3 defeated NTSC 4 21-11 in the women’s final.
The NXL24 tournament then moved over to Bugis+ for its second leg on March 2nd and 3rd before heading to Westgate and Sengkang Grand Mall.
The fifth tour of NXL24 was held on the second weekend of July at the fountain area in CQ @ Clarke Quay. Apart from local teams, the NXL24 also welcomed teams from around the region competing in the Elite men’s and women’s categories.
Thailand’s CT Tigers continued their impressive run in the women’s division, winning their second consecutive NXL24 competition as they won 21-11 against Malaysia U23 team.
It was an exhilarating end to the men’s final as Kuala Lumpur defeated Singapore’s NTSC 1 with a last-second winning shot by Malaysia national team player Run Sam Yap to claim an 18-16 victory.
“The excitement over NXL 2024 in the past year has far exceeded my expectations.
Watching our homegrown talent go head-to-head with international 3×3 basketball teams has ignited the following of local basketball fans across Singapore,” added Mr New.
The competition was then played at Plaza Singapura before heading back to Clarke Quay for their seventh and final tour of the Singapore National 3X3 League 2024 on Oct 5th and 6th.
In the final leg at Clarke Quay, NTSC 1 dominated the Elite Men’s Open category, capping off their triumphant campaign with a flawless winning streak.
They kicked off their Pool B matches with a resounding 21-10 victory over Tungsan, setting the tone for their subsequent triumphs.
In their remaining group stage encounters, they delivered emphatic wins, trouncing AMK-HG 22-6 and edging out Hornets 20-16, showcasing their unrivalled prowess and cementing their status as champions
NTSC continued their winning streak with a 21-4 win over Wolfgang in the quarter-finals and a 21-11 victory against Malaysian team S. State Crawdads in the semi-finals stage.
In the Elite Men’s Open final, NTSC 1 faced off against NTSC 3 and won 21-13.
The NTSC 1 team comprises elite players who have previously represented Singapore, including Lasar Rasic, the head coach of the Basketball Association of Singapore’s 3×3 Team.
The other players in the team are Tay Ding Loong, Kelvin Lim, and Xu Duanyang.
The Elite Women’s Open saw a remarkable debut by TAHO Story from the Philippines. Despite facing the seasoned CT Tigers from Thailand, TAHO managed to put up a brave fight to clinch a 21-18 win in the final.
Winners from the Elite Men’s and Women’s categories bring home S$1,000 cash and vouchers from official sponsors.
National 3×3 League 2024 (Lite Quest)
The NXL24 leg at Plaza Singapura on Aug 31 Aug and Sep 1 was elevated to the prestigious Lite Quest status by FIBA, the sport’s global governing body.
It also grants the winner of the men’s category $4000 in cash and complimentary air tickets to participate in the Yichang Challenger 2024 competition in Yichang, China.
The CT Tigers roared to victory in the men’s open category, while Singapore (1) reignited their dominance in the women’s elite category, claiming the championship title.
In a thrilling Causeway Derby showdown for third place in the men’s open category, Singapore faced off against Kuala Lumpur, with the latter emerging victorious at 21-14.
“I started to show interest in 3×3 basketball after the disbandment of the Slingers as there are no more pro-league for Singapore players to play in. It is also because of coach Rasic, the national 3×3 head coach.
I am also a coach and hope to gain more knowledge from him and impart it to the younger players,” shared former Slingers player Lim with the Independent Singapore.
Lim, who turned out for the Singapore (1) team in the NXL 2024 Lite Quest competition, firmly believes that participating in such prestigious tournaments offers invaluable exposure for local players, allowing them to test their mettle against formidable regional and Asian teams and hone their skills in a highly competitive environment.