- Toronto Patriots secured third and second positions in Round 1 (Japan) and Round 2 (Thailand) respectively
- The Patriots will now be seen in action in Round 3 (Australia), followed by the Final Round in Japan
Thailand: Toronto Patriots, a 3×3 basketball franchise owned by World of Krida Private Limited, who were invited as a guest team in the FIBA 3×3-backed 3×3.EXE Super Premier Basketball League, have successfully advanced to the Final Round (Round 4) of their inaugural season, scheduled to be played on 17th March 2024 in Japan. Prior to this, the team will be showcasing their skills in Round 3 in Australia later this month. The Canadian team boasts a well-balanced roster, featuring players like Inderbir Singh Gill from the USA, Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Bikramjit Gill of Canada, along with teammates Blaz Cresnar, a legend of the game, and Mark Berlic of Slovenia.
The ongoing season of the 3×3.EXE Super Premier basketball league commenced at the Xebio Arena Sendai, Japan, with round 1 taking place on 13th and 14th January 2024. In this round, the Toronto Patriots secured the third position. Subsequently, round 2 unfolded in Thailand on 10th and 11th February 2024, where the Patriots claimed the second position. The league is set to progress to Australia for round 3 on 24th and 25th February 2024, followed by the Final Round in Japan on 17th March 2024. The winners and runners-up from the 3×3.EXE Super Premier 2024 finals will qualify for the 2024 FIBA 3×3 World Tour, and the winners of each round will secure a spot at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Challengers, respectively.
All the matches of 3×3.EXE Super Premier Basketball League can be streamed LIVE on the 3×3.EXE OFFICIAL YouTube Channel.
The Toronto Patriots delivered a spectacular performance in round 2 of the league, encountering Shonan Seaside.EXE and Hachinohe Dime.EXE of Japan in the pool stage. They emerged victorious with a score line of 18-11 and 21-13, respectively, securing a place in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, the Patriots triumphed over Zethree Ishikawa.EXE with a 5-point difference (21-16). Advancing to the semi-finals, the Patriots faced the Swiss team and number 1 seed, Lausanne, which turned out to be a nail-biting encounter. The Patriots were trailing by a single point in the final seconds of the game but Bikramjit’s buzzer beater from outside the two point circle ensured 19-18 victory for his side in dramatic fashion. This secured the Patriots’ spot in the finals against Alphas.EXE but the former went down 10-21 against the latter.
Parina Parekh, Co-owner of Toronto Patriots and CEO of World of Krida said, “3×3 basketball is an incredibly exciting form of the game where anyone and everyone has a chance to win. I am genuinely pleased with the team’s performance in the first & second rounds of the league. While winning would have been ideal, being a runner-up in one of the rounds is still a significant achievement, especially considering it is our first season in this tournament. As we move on to Australia for round 3, we hope to maintain this momentum. We are determined to make the most of the opportunities given to us and aim for glory with the hashtag #ForTheGlory”.
Member of the Toronto Patriots squad Bikramjit Gill also represented and won the Bronze medal for the Canadian National Team at the Commonwealth Games 2022 said, “I am super proud of how we have played in the round 1 and 2 of the league. It was an exciting experience for us here in Japan and Bangkok and we are thrilled to have reached the final round of the league. We still have a long way to go and aim to win the finals with this. We are looking forward to traveling to Australia for the next round at the end of the month.
