JEDDAH — Jeddah is all set to stage the final round of the 3X3 World Championship Basketball Tournament hosted by the Saudi Basketball Federation with the support of the “Quality of Life” program under the supervision of the FIBA, in its ninth edition with the participation of 12 teams representing elite Teams in the world, on Dec. 18 and 19. The teams participating in the competitions of this world championship have already arrived to Jeddah in preparation for the start of the competitions at the end of this week. Four rounds of the World Championship Basketball Tour 3X3 have been played in various countries, teams that had the highest score have qualified for the final round here in Jeddah. The tournament is played in a group system, so that the first and second of each group will qualify for the next round, and the playing time of each match is 10 minutes. The winning team is the one who reaches 21 point s first. In case the game ends without reaching this point, the team that gets the highest score will be declared the winner. “The committee established a court on the Corniche of Jeddah Governorate, according to the latest international specifications for this global sport, which is considered one of the largest. “They have installed large television screens in the vicinity of the stadium to broadcast crowd interaction with the tournament matches live from the event,” confirmed the head of the organizing committee for the World Tour Finals, Dr. Ghassan Tashkandi. He added: “These events come within a series of sporting events hosted and held by the Ministry of Sports in various regions as part of its initiatives and goals emanating from Vision 2030. “And given the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, we will miss the attendance of the fans, which was one of the most important factors for the success of the tour hosted by the city of Jeddah last year.” He said, “The International Federation and the organizing committee were keen on engaging the fans and attracting their interaction inside the finals court through the virtual fan initiative, which allows them to broadcast the fans’ enthusiasm and passion for this game through the giant screens that are set up around the court, and fans’ clips will be shown throughout the matches.” He added: “Each team includes four players and one reserve. The winning team will receive a cash prize ($60,000), runners-up will receive ($40,000), and the third-place holder will get ($28,000). The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has allocated a page on its official website (https://form.123formbuilder.com/5752053/form) to receive video clips of fans interacting with the tournament matches, as part of the virtual fan initiative due to coronavirus pandemic. — SG