- Botswana to host high-profile 3×3 basketball showcase with global partners
GAZETTE REPORTER
The Botswana Basketball Association (BBA) and France-based events company DREALS PARIS have announced that Gaborone will host the Open House Gaborone, a major stop on the DREALS 3×3 Tour 2025. The event is scheduled for 29–30 November at Airport Junction Mall and is expected to bring elite competition, youth development programmes, and international coaching expertise to Botswana’s rapidly growing basketball scene.
In a joint statement released Monday, the partners said the showcase will feature high-level 3×3 match-ups, interactive fan zones, skill contests, youth camps, and coaching formations. It will also double as a men’s and women’s qualifying tournament for the FIBA 3×3 Pro Circuit.
Building Local Capacity
Ahead of the tournament, BBA and DREALS PARIS will run a multi-day training camp from 26–28 November for U16, U23, and Open 3×3 teams from across Africa. The programme includes referee and coaching workshops aimed at strengthening Botswana’s technical backbone in the sport.
The camps will be led by BBA Women’s Commission chair Boitumelo Bante and Coach Balezi Shagwa. International expert Richard Brillant — a former professional player and long-time coach with the French 3×3 national teams — will head referee and coaching sessions. Brillant brings nearly two decades of experience from the French National Basketball Training Centre and has coached teams at the U20 World Cup and Asian Cup.
A combined USD 1,700 prize purse will be awarded across the tournament’s categories.
Community and Exchange
Beyond competition, the tour emphasises community engagement. DREALS PARIS will visit two Gaborone-based basketball academies as part of its ongoing social and humanitarian efforts, promoting youth participation and local development.
Founded in 2017 by former player and five-time French university champion Jean-Marc Aloumon, DREALS PARIS has staged more than 20 events across Africa and Europe, attracting thousands of spectators and contributing to basketball development in countries including Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Niger, Guinea, and France.
Strengthening a Partnership
The collaboration between BBA and DREALS PARIS dates back to 2024, when Botswana’s National Women’s 3×3 Team competed in the ProLeague 3×3 Hoops Factory Edition in France. That exchange, supported by the French Basketball Federation, opened pathways for Botswana’s players to access elite European platforms and technical expertise.