Author(s): LAN, Y.C., LIU, Y.T., Institution: NATIONAL YANG-MING CHIAO-TUNG UNIVERSITY, Country: TAIWAN, Abstract-ID: 1758

INTRODUCTION:
3×3 basketball is an official competition format governed by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Its most distinctive features include a dual-track game-ending mechanism where a game lasts 10 minutes or ends when a team reaches 21 points, and a 12-second shot clock, creating a fast-paced environment with frequent offensive-defensive transitions. Under these constraints, male and female players may exhibit different technical and tactical behaviors. This study analyzed ball possessions and performance indicators to assess gender differences and explore how game rules and temporal constraints shape on-court behaviors.
METHODS:
Data were collected from official box scores of 540 games across the 3x3 World Cups (2019, 2022, 2023, 2025) and Olympic Games (2021, 2024). The sample comprised 404 World Cup matches (204 men’s, 200 women’s) and 136 Olympic matches (68 men’s, 68 women’s). Game-ending rates, defined as the proportion of games concluding by score limit versus time limit, were calculated for each tournament, with independent samples t-tests used to compare these rates across genders. Performance indicators were standardized as rates based on team possessions. A 2 (ending type)× 2 (gender) ANOVA was utilized to analyze the number of possessions (POSS) and rates for field goal attempts (1PA, 2PA, FTA), field goals made (1PM, 2PM, FTM), rebounds (OREB, DREB), turnovers (TO), assists (AS), and drives (DRV).
RESULTS:
Independent samples t-tests revealed that men's teams concluded games by score limit (76.33%) significantly more frequently than by time limit (23.66%) across the six tournaments (p<.001). In contrast, no significant difference was observed for women’s teams. A two-way ANOVA indicated a significant interaction effect between ending type and gender on POSS (p < .0042). Post-hoc analysis showed that men exhibited significantly higher POSS than women specifically within score-ending games. Regarding overall gender differences, men’s teams recorded significantly higher 2PA%, 2PM%, and DRV%, but significantly lower 1PA% and TO% than women (ps <.0042). In terms of game-ending types, compared to time-ending games, score-ending games demonstrated significantly lower POSS, TO%, and DREB%, but higher 2PM%, 1PM%, FTM%, and AS% (ps<.0042).
CONCLUSION:
The 21-point format significantly favors men’s teams, characterized by a 76.33% scoring preference. Specifically, men outperform women in scoring efficiency, showing superior 2-point and DRV% metrics alongside a significantly lower TO%. Conversely, women’s teams lean toward a 1-point scoring strategy. Furthermore, score-ending games feature higher offensive precision and lower turnover/rebound rates than time-ending games. Game-Ending Types dictate the game's pace and efficiency, whereas Gender dictates the tactical approach and shot selection. These findings highlight distinct gender-based performance profiles and tactical differences shaped by the game-ending format.