3 × 3 stars live on ORF eins: These are the teams!

The timing couldn't be better. The weather is getting more and more summery, the country is waking up from the lockdown and international basketball stars will roll into Styria the next day to offer the fans a show and to secure one of the coveted Olympic tickets. Countless people worked for a year and a half to make all of this possible during a pandemic. “We prepared the security concept alone for weeks and revised it 40 times,” said the visibly proud Basketball Austria Secretary General Stefan Laimer in front of media representatives on Graz's main square.

All players and officials must be PCR tested twice before the tournament begins. Close-meshed tests are then carried out on site. In addition, there will be a bubble concept, as we know it from the major American sports leagues. The Austrian 3 × 3 stars have been tested twice a day for a long time. Coach Stano Stelzhammer announced the eagerly awaited women's and men's squads on Tuesday:

In the women's category, Anja Fuchs-Robetin, Sarah Sagerer, Camilla Neumann and Rebekka Kalaydjiev are fighting for the Olympic qualification for the Summer Games in Tokyo. Fabricio Vay, Matthias Lintortner, Filip Krämer and local hero Momo Lanegger make up the men's team. The teams have been preparing for ten months, have caused a sensation at international tournaments and are now among the secret favorites by some experts.

For coach Stelzhammer, who also speaks of good preparatory results, none of this counts when the “best teams in the world” come to Graz: “We're starting from scratch, want to put Graz on a show and make all of Austria proud.” The goal with both teams is at least the quarter-finals, because then anything is possible. Stelzhammer also thanks the association for making the professional preparation possible - most recently in Vienna on the Schmelz. The head coach is particularly proud of the women's team, which did a great job despite a Corona case.

Optimistic mood

The fact that the women are in top form on time despite the Corona setback shows how far-sighted Austrian basketball has been in recent months. “We show that sport is possible even in difficult times,” says Laimer, who adds that it requires discipline and organizational sensitivity. "Very happy" that this is now working, says the Styrian Sports Councilor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP): "Finally another major sporting event with an audience. Graz is a sign of the current optimistic mood and the qualifier is a step back from the crisis. "

Drexler is particularly pleased that with the 3 × 3 format, a highly dynamic ball sport in front of the Graz clock tower ensures excitement and action. "This dynamic just fits the city." The state council, who played basketball himself during his school days, only knows 3 × 3 from television, which increases the anticipation even more. This is also great for the Graz City Councilor for Sports, Kurt Hohensinner (ÖVP): “The pictures from Graz are transported all over the world. In addition, such a major event also brings economic added value, which is very much needed. "

However, the sporting message is even more important. With local hero Momo Lanegger, they want to inspire young people. Compulsory schools are to be equipped with 3 × 3 baskets in the future in order to trigger a basketball hype.

Live on site and on ORF1

In order to kick off this hype, Basketball Austria has come up with a number of things: The Thunderdome offers 58 boxes in which eight fans can watch the games. A total of 500 basketball enthusiasts will have the opportunity to be there live every day. “The ticket lottery was a huge success, we are completely sold out,” says Laimer. You could have sold a lot more playing cards, but security comes first. The unofficial motto is therefore the “three Gs” - vaccinated, tested or recovered.

But even those who weren't lucky in the ticket lottery don't look through the fingers. Because as Laimer announced at the press conference, 3 × 3 basketball will be on ORF1 next week! "This will catapult basketball into the front row," said the Secretary General of Basketball Austria.

Photo: GEPA pictures