RIYADH: On the eve of the start of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Finals in King Abdullah Economic City, the organizers on Thursday thanked their Saudi hosts and looked forward to a successful event. Hamane Niang, the president of the International Basketball Federation, expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom for hosting the finals for a second consecutive year, after last year’s event, which was also in Jeddah. He also thanked Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal for his country’s hospitality and its great support for basketball locally and internationally. “It is our third time in the Kingdom, which has previously hosted the qualifying tournament in 2019,” Niang said. “Last year we had an amazing final that crowned team Riga from Latvia. Seven of the team members participated in the Tokyo Olympics and achieved good results. “In addition, the wonderful interaction with the tournaments has exceeded all expectations and the viewing figures reached record levels around the world.” Niang also commended Jeddah’s 3x3 basketball team for being the first Saudi team to win a World Tour event, at the FIBA 3x3 Prague Masters in September. Ignacio Soriano, FIBA 3x3 head of events and partnerships, said: “The activities of this international sport have gone back to normal after the pandemic. We will be going back to playing in a safe environment, with players from around the world and in the presence of crowds.” After adding his own thanks to the event organizers in the Kingdom, he said: “This year’s final will be the ultimate final due to the participation of 16 Olympic gold, silver and bronze medalists. The tournament will also be broadcast to more than 100 countries around the world.” Ghassan Tashkandi, the president of the Saudi Basketball Federation, said: “Tasking the Kingdom with the organization of the World Tour highlights our beloved country’s success in hosting last year’s championship, which was held in Jeddah. It received the unlimited support of our wise leadership, while (Sports Minister) Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal followed up on the organization of the event. “The holding of this event is a continuation of the Kingdom’s success in hosting the biggest international championships of various sports and games.” He added: “We at the Saudi Basketball Federation have harnessed all of our technical and administrative capabilities, under the supervision of the sports minister, to ensure, as always, the success of this year’s FIBA 3x3 World Tour Finals.” The finals take place on Dec. 17 and 18 and will feature 12 of the best teams in the world: Riga (Lativia), Ub (Serbia), Liman (Serbia), Amsterdam Talent & Pro (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), San Juan PCI Group (Puerto Rico), Jeddah (KSA), Sakiai Gulbele (Lithuania), Gagarin (Russia), Princeton (USA), Graz (Austria) and Lausanne Sport (Switzerland). The event is organized by the Sports Ministry in cooperation with the Saudi Basketball Federation as part of the Quality of Life Program. Lina Almaeena, an executive partner of Jeddah United Basketball Academy, said: “My basketball team, Jeddah United, is participating in private local tournaments on the sidelines of this international championship. This is the third time that Jeddah United has taken part in these competitions at the local level. “Jeddah United finished in first place during the first and second men’s rounds of the Saudi Basketball Federation Championship, the Saudi Basketball Federation Women’s Championship, and the under-16 girls UN Championship last October.” Almaeena said that there is a high level of interest in basketball, and sports in general, among female students at private schools from a young age, and that she herself began playing at school. She added that she is looking forward to the Kingdom hosting more international championships, as it becomes a global destination for sports competitions and events.