# Girls crowned Basketball England/FIBA 3×3 Champions

- Link: https://www.newhamyoungbloods.co.uk/2018/06/girls-crowned-basketball-england-fiba-3x3-champions/
- Published: 2018-06-22T18:54:00+01:00
- Author: admin

Basketball England 3×3 FIBA Endorsed event took place at Manchester Belle Vue venue.
Saturday saw teams compete against each other to raise the profile of female basketball
within the country.

3×3 is a faster format of the game of regular Basketball. It has already been confirmed
as a feature sport at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, as well as the 2022 Commonwealth
Games in Birmingham.

London had 2 teams show at the competition London Youngblood’s Cubs the winners 
of the London tournament held at London Metropolitan University and Hounslow Hawks.

Youngblood’s Cubs started their campaign in a determined way, playing against Brighton
Cougars (SE), Bucks Elite (S), Suffolk Sharks (E) Tees Valley (NE) Synergy (NW) 
and beating all the teams that stepped on the court with them.

The Youngblood’s battled their way to the semi-finals where they played against 
Derby Trailblazers. Youngblood’s shooting Guard Ines Goryanova remained relentless
from the outside of the key. Tinu Fakunle, Fatmata Janneh and Leia Edwards dominating
the inside of the key these 4 players showed that ‘These Girls Can!

Coach Caroline Charles proudly commented that we have versatile ‘Bigs!’ They can
play perimeter and post, even little Ines will take the ball inside and give the
defence trouble with her moves. We didn’t have a set plan. I love the freedom of
3v3 and I just told the girls to apply the basics and then go with what the floor
presents to you. They did that (well most of the time)

In the finals, Youngblood’s came up against Synergy (NW) again. This team had given
Youngblood’s a run for their money in the first round, and both teams had the measure
of each other for the final. Synergy started the game with the first points on the
board Ines Goryanova replied with a drive down the middle of the key to scoring.
Synergy once again scored and then followed up with a steal and another basket. 
Ines balanced the scoresheet with a beautiful outside the arc shot. This basket 
seemed to light the fire within the Youngblood’s player with Fatmata, Leia and Tinu
going to work on the inside of the key Synergy found it very hard to keep pace with
the attacks from the Youngblood’s Cubs. Youngblood’s finished the tournaments as
outright 3v3 FIBA Champions.