RANCAGUA, Chile - Stony Brook women's basketball junior
Zaida Gonzalez and alumna
Nairimar Vargas-Reyes represented Puerto Rico at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 u23 Nation's League in Chile this past summer.
"This experience is something that I will cherish forever. Being able to represent my country means the world to me. I gained new friends, memories, and experiences that I will bring home with me and have in my life forever," said Vargas-Reyes.
The competition featured six, three-game tournaments in seven days at each stop. The winning team from each of the 13 conference events hosted worldwide qualified for the FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League Final, being contested Sept. 13-15 in Mongolia.
Different from 5-on-5, 3x3 is played on a half court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams "clear" the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.
"It's an honor to represent Puerto Rico and wear that jersey," Gonzalez said. "It was an incredible experience that allowed me to grow as a player and person. I created memories and friendships that will last forever."
Puerto Rico earned a victory over Canada before falling to Chile on the opening day of the event. Vargas-Reyes finished her day tied for ninth-place in scoring out of all the participants after tallying 10 of the team's 22 points. The squad returned to the court on the second day with back-to-back losses against Canada and the United States. However, Gonzalez and Vargas-Reyes paced the offense after finishing the day top-15 in scoring.
After finishing 1-1 on the third and fourth stops with victories against Chile and Venezuela, the squad dropped games to Canada and the United States during the fifth stop. To end the tournament, Puerto Rico went went 2-1 to finish in second place at the sixth stop. Following the victory over Venezuela, Puerto Rico defeated the United States 17-16. Vargas-Reyes couldn't be tamed, finishing second in scoring with 20 points in her three contests.
Vargas-Reyes and Gonzalez joined Alicia Yareth Penzo Quiñones (University of Oklahoma), Kaelynn Alexandria Satterfield (Xavier University and Seton Hall University), and Sariana Nicole Rodríguez Camacho (Florida International University) on their five-member squad.
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