Saskatoon to represent Canada at 3×3 basketball World Cup

After hosting a tour event last summer, Saskatoon’s three-on-three basketball team will represent Canada this year on the world stage.

Basketball Canada announced Friday they would be sending Team Saskatoon to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in the Philippines, marking the first time a Canadian team will participate in the event.

The team includes former Huskies men’s basketball players Michael Linklater, Nolan Brudehl and Michael Lieffers.

Team Saskatoon is ranked 14th in the world in the fast-paced sport, which uses a specialized half-court and a 12-second shot clock.

Brudehl told 650 CKOM the group is excited for the opportunity.

“The guys have talked about it for quite a long time,” he said. “It’s a big step for us.”

The call to represent Canada comes after Team Saskatoon made a strong showing on the FIBA 3×3 Masters World Tour in 2017, which included a second-place finish at the stop in their hometown.

Brudehl said the city is now paying more attention to the sport, creating a great atmosphere for the team.

“The pressure’s awesome … we kind of feed off of it,” he said.

The FIBA 3×3 World Cup will take place at the Philippine Arena, which seats 55,000 people, from June 8-12.

After striving for the international championship, Team Saskatoon will return home a month later to host their second Masters World Tour event on July 21 and 22 at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 21st Street.

-With files from Wray Morrison