Basketball On The Internet.

LONDON Olympian Peter Crawford and his former Townsville Crocodiles NBL teammate Luke Schenscher headline Sunday's CLB 3X3 Grand Final Series at "The Triangle" in St Kilda.

Champions League Basketball's FIBA-endorsed 3on3 product has reached the pinnacle of its two-year plan with Sunday's CLB3X3 Aussie Summer Series Grand Final beside the iconic Palais Theatre on the beachside in Melbourne.

“This is where the elite will meet for four hours, with three games each, plus Finals, and we are very excited about the level of talent we have been privileged to witness over our season and now it all comes down to this," Champions League Basketball general manager Matt Hollard said.

"High quality players, including ex-NBA, NBL, SEABL, State League and BIG V, will come
from all over Australia to compete in the eight-team lineup of pool games, a semi and a
final."

FIBA’s 3X3 Development Senior Associate Nicholas Widmer has granted CLB3X3 a full travelling invitation to a World Tour Qualifier in Asia.

It gives teams as much notice as possible ahead of the World Tour event in Mongolia next month.

“This is huge for our country and for the sport of 3on3," CLB exec Tracey Browning said.

With a pending decision next month on the inclusion of 3on3 as an Olympic sport at Tokyo 2020, Australia needed to mobilise and going on to Mongolia is a massive step.

The presence of Crawford and Schenscher (below playing for Adelaide 36ers) in Townsville's competitor for Sunday's Grand Final Series gives it a big advantage. 

Crawford's career reached its peak in 2012 when he was selected for the Boomers' team at the London Olympics, PC one of the great shooters in NBL history.

The league's Most Improved Player in 2005 at Perth Wildcats, Crawford crossed to Townsville in 2009 and finished as the Crocodiles' all-time leader in games played for the club with 292, passing Robert Rose (258) in the 2012-13 season.

He also is fifth all-time in scoring, sixth in rebounds and assists, second in steals and fourth in blocks - not too shabby for a 193cm shooting guard.

PC (above) also was named the Crocs' Most Valuable Player for 2011-12, an award Schenscher claimed at Townsville in the 2010-11 season.  

The 216cm centre has enjoyed many career highs, with selection for the Boomers while in high school, taking Georgia Tech to the NCAA Final, concluding the 2006 NBA season with storied Chicago Bulls, and the 2007 season with Portland Trail Blazers, just a handful.

He also was an NBL championship starter with the Wildcats in Perth's 2009-10 title-winning team.

“We are very confident the level of play we are providing this Sunday will be sure to impress all of the spectators on the day," CLB executive member Jason Smith said.

Schenscher has been playing Premier League in SA with defending champion Southern Tigers.

“I’m excited to be a part of the 3 on 3 challenge this Sunday," he said. "It is a great concept and one I think will take off in Australia.”

For a Sunday with a difference, Melbournites should head down to St Kilda, with tip-off at 1pm.

The lineups are:

CLB3X3 Team Townsville

CLB3X3 Team Darwin

CLB3X3 Team Melbourne

CLB3X3 Team Geelong

CLB3X3 Team Newcastle

CLB3X3 Team Gippsland

CLB3X3 Team Sydney

CLB3X3 Team Canberra

The best news is, as a community event, players are not charged an entry fee, and spectators can watch for free.

You can even do that from home or interstate, with the series to be live-streamed on Youtube and CLB's Facebook page, with expert commentary from the NBL's Blitz team of Matt McQuade and Liam Santamaria.

But get down to St Kilda and see it live, with live music also from resident DJ #DJandez, Official MC on the day Shura Taft.