There is no shortage of things to see at 3X3 Masters. Besides 3X3 Basketball, there are side contests, short animations, spontanious dance-offs, a crazy MC hopping around… The list goes on. And still, there are some players that draw a bit more attention than others. If they step on court, the crowd watches their every move. Here are 5 players to watch at 3X3 Masters:
1. Leroy Anthonis
It’s hard to not see Leroy at our tournaments. Standing a notch above the rest with his 2m05 and the wingspan of an airplane there’s a potential blockparty at every game he plays. Together with his Under Armour team, he has won multiple 3X3 Masters events and it earned him the #1 spot in the official Belgium FIBA 3X3 Rankings and #405 in the World.
Leroy (middle) with his Under Armour buddies Enoch Derby (left) and Barry Dictus (right)
Leroy has been part of the 3X3 Belgian Lions at the 2014 European Championship, where Belgium finished 6th place. He will be a 3X3 Belgian Lion again this year when they play the 3X3 European Championship Qualifier in Poitiers, France on July 1-2.
See Leroy’s 3X3 Planet profile
2. Julie Vanloo
Julie Vanloo needs no introduction. She’s a badass Belgian Cat, with moves that make you think of White Chocolate (for those who don’t know White Chocolate, watch this video). Besides the anklebreakers, no-look and behind-the-back passes, Loewie hits lots of floaters and knocks down the occasional threepointer. In other words, she’s a nightmare to defend on court.
Julie at the NBA 2K Shoot Out Contest at 3X3 Masters X-mas
She’s been playing at 3X3 Masters since the early days and hasn’t stopped to amaze us. If you wanna see her in action, look for the Chicks Got Game team, with Astrid Roekens, Lara Moucheron and Karen Hendrickx. Or just follow the ooohs and aaaahs.
See Julie’s 3X3 Planet profile
3. Gilles Matho
Gilles Matho popped on our radar a few summers ago. Coming all the way from Verviers, Gilles uses 3X3 Masters to test his new freestyle moves and mess around with his defenders. It’s easy to recognize the often-sleeved streetballer rocking his mohawk and colourfull personality. Don’t underestimate his basketball skills though. Gilles has a quick first step and a high floater to beat his opponent and isn’t too shabby with his passing-skills either.
Gilles busting moves at 3X3 Masters Kortrijk last year
in Team Blockbuster is where you’ll find Gilles, playing all over Belgium, the Netherlands and even Switzerland. Make sure to check some of his highlights on his Facebook page, they might come in handy if you ever meet him on court.
See Gilles’ 3X3 Planet profile
4. Zachary Ouango
Zachary Ouango is one of those players who you just need to keep an eye on at all times. Explosive, athletic and rim-rocking are 3 words that fit him well. Zac was one of the most entertaining players at our tournaments last year, playing at Kortrijk, Leuven and the X-mas edition in Antwerp. He has been pretty successfull too, winning the Dunk Contest at Kortrijk, the tournament at Leuven and the 3X3 Masters title in the U18 category at the X-Mas Finals.
Always look for the lob when Zac’s around
Playing alongside other high-flyers, the teamname AirAfrica suits them well. Let’s see if the highlight-reel continues this year…
See Zachary’s 3X3 Planet profile
5. You
That’s right! We always have an eye for nice moves, crazy shots, winning-streaks and good hustle plays. So go ahead and sign-up for one of our tournaments and make sure you’re noticed. MC Lieven hands out random MVP-honours at all 3X3 Masters events, it’s your time to get one!