By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THE court is currently being set, and the stakes are higher than ever as the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation officially announced the upcoming 3×3 Basketball Tournament, scheduled for April 16-19 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
This four-day event is not just a battle for local bragging rights; it also serves as the official qualifying ground for the prestigious 2026 Marianas Games. The top two finishers in both the U23 men’s and U23 women’s divisions will earn the honor of representing Saipan on the regional stage.
The tournament will feature four competitive divisions — U23 men’s, U23 women’s, open men’s and open women’s.
The action begins with a single round-robin format, with only the top four teams from each division advancing to a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions.
Per NMIBF guidelines, the top two teams in the U23 divisions will be selected to represent the CNMI in the upcoming 2026 Marianas Games.
To ensure eligibility for these spots, U23 athletes must:
Be at least 16 years old at the time of the tournament.
Be no older than 23 throughout the 2026 calendar year.
Provide a valid passport or birth certificate and signed waivers.
Teams looking to compete must act fast, as registration is capped at a maximum of eight teams per division on a first-come, first-paid basis, with an entrance fee of $80 per team.
All athletes must have an active FIBA 3×3 account. Players can register for an account at play.fiba3x3.com/signup.
Each team is required to designate a representative for the distribution of official rosters and medical waivers.
As of now, the specific game times and the schedule for the technical meeting have yet to be announced.
For more information or to submit registration documents, teams can contact the federation via email at [email protected] or scan the QR code located on the official event flyer.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
