LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Basketball has changed significantly since Dr. James Naismith wrote the original 13 rules of the game in 1892. Team sizes were mandated at five per team in 1897 from originating at nine per squad. In 1909, dribbling in its current form and the ability to shoot after dribbling was allowed for the first time. Nylon Nets were first introduced in 1912 to help increase the speed of the game. Shot clocks were introduced by the NBA in 1954 and the NCAA in 1985.
 
Basketball is again going through a period of change and innovation with the introduction of 3x3. Introduced by FIBA at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, 3x3 is marketed as the number one urban team sport. Simple and flexible enough to be played anywhere and by anybody, the simple rules are designed for a fast, spectacular, and exciting game. Following the introduction of the World Cup and professional tour, 3x3 was announced as an Olympic sport on June 9, 2017.
 
Over the recent months, incoming transfer Jessika Schiffer played in the 3x3 U23 Nations League, representing her home country of Germany. Due to the women's 5v5 national teams holding their team camps in the winter months, Schiffer had no choice but to join the 3x3 national team. Schiffer previously played with the German national U16 and U18 5v5 basketball teams, where she earned a gold medal at the European Championships as a member of the U18 team.
 
"It's an amazing experience to play for the national team," said Schiffer. "The intensity is crazy high, and you are always learning because you are going against the best competition in Europe."
 
While there are many similarities between the required skills in both versions of the sport, the distance spent travelling up and down the court is replaced by a fast-paced half-court game that produces constant motion and a frantic pace. Games are played by 1s and 2s until a team either reaches 21 points or a 10-minute game clock has expired. The smaller teams put a greater emphasis on individual skills offensively, and a strong team dynamic defensively and the transition from one side of the ball to the other happens instantly.
 
"When your opponent is shooting free throws, you are already setting up your offense," said Schiffer. "Once a shot is made you can make a pass outside to an immediate shot."
 
Schiffer and her teammates finished fourth, second, and sixth in the three days of play in Slovakia in early July and are fourth in the current tour standings. Three more days of competition will be held in early August in Hungary to complete the 2021 Nations League.