Vietnamese basketball players to compete in FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022

After clinching two historic silver medals at the recent 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Vietnam’s 3x3 basketball teams will be competing in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022 in Singapore from July 6 to 10.

The four members of the Vietnamese men's team at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022.
The four members of the Vietnamese men's team at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022.

This is the first time the continental tournament has been held since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, following the latest event in Hunan, China, three years ago.

The 2022 competition will see 53 teams from 30 countries battling it out to win the trophy, marking a new record in the number of participants, from the previous record set in 2019 with 40 teams from 23 countries.

In the men’s draw, Vietnam will be represented by Chris Dierker, Tran Dang Khoa, Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh and Vo Kim Ban. There are two changes from Vietnam’s SEA Games squad, with Tran Dang Khoa and Nguyen Huynh Phu Vinh taking the place of Dinh Thanh Tam and Justin Young, respectively.

In the women’s draw, Vietnam features a totally different squad from their SEA Games deployment, with Bui Kim Nhan, Nguyen Thi Cam Tien, Nguyen Ngoc Bich and Vo Thi Ngoc Hau set to compete.

The Vietnamese women's team at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022.

The FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2022 will kick off with the matches of the qualifying draw, whereby the 27 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams will battle it out to determine the top 12 teams in each category for the main draw.

For the qualifying draw, Vietnam have drawn against Chinese Taipei and Thailand in Pool B (men’s draw), and against Malaysia and Uzbekistan in Pool A (women’s draw). To secure the main-draw places, the Vietnamese teams will have to finish at the top of their respective pools.

In the men’s category, just three teams have their spots guaranteed in the main draw: hosts Singapore, reigning champions Australia, and Mongolia - the best-ranked team in the FIBA 3x3 Federation Ranking as of the November 1, 2021, cut-off date.

Meanwhile, seven teams in the women’s category automatically qualified for the main draw, including hosts Singapore, reigning champions Australia, and the 5 best-ranked teams in the FIBA 3x3 Federation Ranking as of the November 1, 2021, cut-off date: Mongolia, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei and Sri Lanka.