Point Park men's basketball coach sets new team for 3x3 tourney in China

Point Park men’s basketball coach Joe Lewandowski has assembled another 3-on-3 team to represent the states overseas.

Lewandowski, who guided Team USA to a FIBA 3x3 World Cup title with a 7-0 record over the summer in Amsterdam, will lead another four-player crew to the 2019 FIBA Men’s 3x3 U23 World Cup Oct. 2-6 in Lanzhou, China.

Players selected for the 20-nation tournament include Point Park players Ronald Fairrow III, Mark Shehady and Juwan Willis, along with David Payne of Cleveland State.

Fairrow is an incoming junior forward, while Shehady is a junior guard and Willis a sophomore forward.

Lewandowki, who is listed as a “team advisor,” is a USA Basketball 3x3 regional coordinator. He used to be the head boys basketball coach at Butler and Deer Lakes and has been active in AAU basketball.

The U.S. team will open against Romania on Oct. 3 with games to follow against Latvia, Kazakhstan and China.

The top two teams from each of four pools will advance to the quarterfinals.

The semifinals and championship game will be Oct. 6.

The U.S. did not compete in the only other FIBA U23 World Cup, played last year. Russia swept the event with a 7-0 mark.

The fast-paced 3x3 game has evolved into an Olympic sport. It will make its debut at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Lewandowski played at Butler Community College and Slippery Rock, before a pro career overseas.