3×3 Paris discovered Neom in Saudi Arabia in 2022 to play a Super Quest there. Franck Séguéla and Paul Djoko were already on the trip and were stopped at the wire in the quarter-final against the Poles from Warsaw, 19-20. Since that time, things have changed: the Saudi stage is now a Masters of the World Tour and 3×3 Paris has become a team referenced on the circuit, counting in its ranks two Olympic vice-champions and above all three players lined up this weekend in the world top 20: Franck Séguéla, Paul Djoko and Jules Rambaut.
With five finals in six Masters this season, Karim Souchu’s team is the team in good form at the moment and observers consider it a serious contender for victory. But if the idea of performing to ensure the best possible position during the world final of the World Tour in Hong Kong (November 22-24) is in our heads, we will first have to face extremely tough adversity at Neom. Indeed, in Saudi Arabia this weekend, nine of the eleven best teams in the World Tour ranking will be present, including the Serbian ogre, Ub Huishan NE, imperial on the circuit so far with four victories in six finals this season . We will also have to count on the French’s best enemies, the Amsterdam team, recently winner of the Abu Dhabi Masters, led by Worthy De Jong, the second best player in the World Tour ranking, executioner of the French team in final of the Paris Games with the Netherlands jersey.
In Neom, Karim Souchu decided to rotate the squad, by calling Alex Vialaret, in place of Hugo Suhard, to complete the trio Séguéla, Rambaut, Djoko. Paris will start the Masters in an affordable group with the Serbian Partizan Meta Force and the local team AlUla. If all goes well, the French will then meet for the quarter-final with Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LIT) or Miami (USA).
The entire Neom Masters can be followed on the FIBA 3X3 YouTube channel.
Programme :
Saturday November 8 – Group stage
- 12h30 : Paris – AlUla
- 2:30 p.m.: Paris – Partizan Meta Force
Sunday November 9 – Final phase
- 3:05 p.m.: start of the quarter-finals
- 5:45 p.m.: start of the semi-finals
- 7:25 p.m.: final
