The weekend heatwave put participants of the third stop of the national 3×3 basketball circuit, BCR Sport Arena Streetball, to the test, but it also brought a true red alert for performance. Over 400 players competed from Friday to Sunday in 190 games at the courts of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest.
The standout individual achievement of the tournament came from Alexandra Vasile, who scored 16 points in the final of the U18 category, leading her team, Tricicleta, to a 21-10 victory over Belelele. Alexandra scored a total of 30 points across three games and was awarded the MVP Rising Star title, presented by Horizon.
More than 2,000 spectators attended the Poli Arena sports facility throughout the weekend. The fan zone was active from early morning until late in the evening, with a well-deserved break from 12:00 to 17:00 to avoid the peak heat. Over 250 prizes were awarded in competitions and various basketball-themed activities that promoted outdoor physical activity.
An Example of Determination
Special moments were plentiful throughout the weekend. On Saturday, the central court of BCR Sport Arena Streetball hosted a wheelchair basketball exhibition match, organized with the support of Motivation Romania, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities. The seven athletes showcased that abilities are what truly matter and that sports are not only beneficial for health but also for the inclusion of people with disabilities.
On Sunday, it was time for unified basketball to be featured in the BCR Sport Arena Streetball competitions, bringing together children from Școala Specială no. 11 “Constantin Păunescu” and Elena Cuza National College in Bucharest. Last year, Romania achieved an extraordinary feat in unified basketball, winning a bronze medal at the Special Olympics World Games.
Awarded by an Italian Champion
In the Men’s Open final, Agro Squad 2 won 19-17 against Mamaia Boyz, and Marc Mitrică, a player from Agro Squad, earned a well-deserved revenge after the Brașov tournament. In Brașov, Mitrică had scored two consecutive two-pointers to send the game into overtime, where his team eventually lost. This time, however, Mitrică scored the decisive basket in the final and was awarded the MVP title by Albini Prassa, receiving an Undone watch celebrating Romania’s only superhero, Căpitanul Ro.
The trophy was presented by Denis Bădălău, a basketball champion of Italy in the U19 category with Olimpia Milano, and one of Romania’s most valuable basketball players today. A former participant in Sport Arena Streetball competitions and a member of Romania’s 3×3 national team, Bădălău was one of the standout players at the EuroLeague junior final, where he achieved the tournament’s best individual performance, scoring 34 points in a game.
In the women’s competition, the title of best player went to Bianca Nagy-Voica, whose team, CS Vâlcea 1924, defeated Agro Squad 2 in the final, 15-13, after overtime. Voica scored 17 points across three games, making her the second-highest scorer for her team, with six of those points coming in the final, including the two-point shot that decided the match.
High-Quality Entertainment
Fans were treated to top-notch entertainment from artists of the Bucharest Metropolitan Circus, and the slam dunk and mini-dunk contests once again created unforgettable moments on the courts of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest.
Kirill Panfilov, from Știința București, won his second consecutive title in the slam dunk contest, receiving a 4K Android TV offered by Horizon, while in the future dunkers’ competition, the prize offered by Nike was won by Alex Mihăescu. All participants in the mini-dunk contest were treated to sweets from Kandia Dulce.
Basketball was also played virtually in ad-hoc competitions in the gaming zone, where the most skilled players competed in NBA2K for a license to the 2024 edition of the popular basketball console game.
The next BCR Sport Arena Streetball event will take place in Iași during the weekend of July 19-21.
BCR Sport Arena Streetball 2024 is brought to you by BCR, Mastercard, Nike, BCR Leasing, Horizon, BCR Life Insurance VIG, Omniasig, Tissot, Albini Prassa, Kandia Dulce, Ideal Board Games, Red Bull, and the Romanian Basketball Federation (FR Baschet). The official radio station of the competition is Kiss FM.
