Decision to move Fiba 3x3 World Tour Hong Kong indoors pays off as Wipha looms
Tournament is being played for first time at the Convention and Exhibition Centre but will be held behind closed doors if storm hits
The decision to move the Fiba 3x3 World Tour Hong Kong indoors appeared to have paid off for organisers on Saturday, as Tropical Storm Wipha edged closer to the city.
And with the Observatory expected to issue a No 8 typhoon signal “in the small hours of Sunday”, officials said the tournament would proceed as scheduled even if a signal or a black rain warning was needed.
About 70 per cent of the seats in the four-sided spectator stands were filled from the start of the afternoon session, in which Hong Kong, included in the pool stage as wild card hosts, were playing in the second match, a humbling 21-11 loss to world No 1 team Ub from Serbia.
This year’s edition, the fourth in the city since 2022, is being held alongside the popular Hong Kong Book Fair, and the Sports and Leisure Expo.
Former Olympic champion Agnis Cavars, who won the first 3x3 gold medal with Latvia at the Tokyo Games in 2021, now plays for Hong Kong, and the veteran said he was excited to play indoors.