3-on-3

The BIG3 is coming to Houston

Emily Wallis
The BIG3 is coming to Houston
The 3-on-3 half-court basketball league returns to Toyota Center on Friday night. Big3/Facebook

The BIG3 is coming to Houston and will feature some of the most competitive summer basketball in the world. Commissioner Clyde Drexler appeared on The Blitz to talk about his involvement with The Big3 and how the competition has significantly heated up in just its second year. The BIG3 was founded by actor and musician Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. “Those guys are incredibly addicted to the sport of basketball,” Drexler says of Ice Cube and Kwatinetz. 

Ex-NBA players such as Al Harrington and Amar’e Stoudemire will play half-court, 3-on-3 basketball. The eight teams will be coached by Hall of Fame coaches like Nancy Lieberman and Gary Payton. “We’ve got more Hall of Fame coaches than any other professional league in the world,” Drexler notes. “It’s a groundbreaking league,” he says. “We’re breaking barriers.” In its second season, the league will have plenty of new names to fill their rosters. “The BIG3 is here to stay.” The BIG3 not only makes stops around the country to put on a unique and entertaining show for basketball fans, but also gives back to the communities that they travel to.

Its Young3 program allows young basketball fans to play in tournaments while also making a difference in the communities that host the league. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to see what Drexler describes as “the best basketball being played around the world.” Week 1 will take over the Toyota Center on Friday, June 22. Game 1 begins at 6:30. Games will also be broadcast on Fox or FS1 each Friday night.

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How Astros suddenly poised to make noise as bats, arms surge

Will Isaac Paredes stay hot against the Cardinals? Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals meet Monday night at Busch Stadium, both aiming to get above .500 in the early weeks of the season.

Houston (7-8) sends left-hander Framber Valdez (1-1, 2.50 ERA) to the mound in search of a strong start to begin a three-game road series. The Astros, 3-3 away from home this season, have leaned on their pitching—ranking eighth in the American League with a 3.70 team ERA.

St. Louis (7-8) counters with right-hander Sonny Gray (2-0, 4.50 ERA), who has a WHIP of 0.88 despite some early bumps in run prevention. The Cardinals have been solid at home (6-3) and are among the NL’s best-hitting teams, posting a collective .280 average.

Jose Altuve (.302, 3 HR) and Isaac Paredes (13-for-42, 3 HR in last 10) lead the way for Houston’s offense, while Brendan Donovan (.350, 10 RBI) and Pedro Pages (10-for-34, 7 RBI in last 10) have been producing for the Cardinals.

Both teams enter the matchup with identical 7-8 records but differing trends: Houston has outscored opponents by eight runs over their last 10 games (5-5), while the Cardinals have gone 4-6 during that stretch, giving up 5.19 runs per game.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET.

Here's a sneak peek at tonight's lineup:

Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot.

Mauricio Dubon gets the nod at second base again, and Chas McCormick will make the start over Jake Meyers in center field. Jose Altuve will get some time off his feet hitting in the DH spot, with Yordan Alvarez playing in left field.


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