How do you win a game of 3x3 basketball?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 6Be the first team to reach 21 points, or be ahead when 10 minutes run out. A game is one period of 10 minutes, and it ends at once if a team gets to 21 before then. If the scores are level at the end, overtime is played and the first team to score 2 points wins.
How it works
- One period: the regular playing time is a single period of 10 minutes.
- The clock stops: during free throws and whenever the ball is dead.
- First to 21: a team that scores 21 or more before time runs out wins there and then. The rules call this "sudden death".
- Only in regular time: the 21-point finish does not apply in overtime.
- Level at the end: there is an interval of one minute, then overtime.
- Overtime: the first team to score 2 points wins. There is no clock to beat.
- A foul on the buzzer: free throws for a foul committed as time expired are taken after the end of regular time.
- Without a game clock: the organiser may set a running time or a points target. FIBA suggests matching them: 10 minutes or 10 points, 15 and 15, 21 and 21.
The glossary has playing time, overtime and 3x3 basketball.
Tricky cases
Can a game end 22 to 20?
Yes. A team on 20 that scores from behind the arc goes to 22, and the game ends at that moment.
Can a team win in overtime with one shot?
Yes. A shot from behind the arc is worth 2 points, which is the overtime target.
The score is 20 all when time runs out. Is the next basket the winner?
It depends on where it is scored from. Overtime needs 2 points, so a basket from inside the arc is not enough.
Does a team need to win by two points?
No. Reaching 21 first is enough, and so is leading by one point when time expires.
Why the rule exists
3x3 comes from street basketball, where games are played to a score and not to a clock. The official game keeps the target and adds the clock, so every game ends within a slot a tournament can plan around, and a team far ahead does not have to play out the time.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIBA 3x3 rules | 10 minutes, first to 21, overtime to 2 points | Art. 1.2; Art. 8 |
| Under-12 | Recommended: the first basket in overtime wins | Appendix E |
| No game clock available | The organiser sets the time or the target | Art. 8.7 |
| Five-a-side basketball | Four periods of 10 minutes and no target score | ../5x5/ set |
From the rule book
FIBA, Official 3x3 Basketball Rules 2026 (valid as of 1 January 2026), Articles 1.2, 8.1 to 8.7 and 9.5, 9.6, and Appendix E. Official document:FIBA Official 3x3 Basketball Rules (PDF).