Obi Okolie Selected to Participate in 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship

32 teams of seniors representing every Division I conference will compete for $150,000 prize pool live on Twitter and ESPN2

April 1, 2019 – Brown senior captain Obi Okolie (Ajax, Ontario), the Ivy League's Defensive Player of the Year, has been selected to participate in the 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship,scheduled for April 5-7 at Minnesota's Mall of America. Okolie is one of four players selected from the Ivy League.

The tournament is comprised of all-star teams of seniors, who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility, representing all 32 Division I conferences. The teams will compete for a $150,000 prize pool, with the champions taking home $100,000, double the prize money from a year ago. Additionally, the winners will earn the right to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3x3 Open National Championship later this spring.

Okolie earned Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the Bears to their first 20 win season ever. A second team All-Ivy selection, Okolie scored in double figures in 16 of Brown's last 17 games, including a career high 26 points against UAB in the College Basketball Invitational. He averaged 12.2 points per game and led the Bears with 14.7 ppg in league games. His 1,067 career points rank 25^thin Brown basketball history.

All games of the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship will be carried live on Twitter or ESPN2. Pool play will begin at 3 p.m. ET on April 5, with 24 games streamed live exclusively on Twitter. Pool play will continue on April 6 at 9:30 a.m. ET with 24 more games streamed live exclusively on Twitter. Round of 16 and quarterfinal games will be streamed live exclusively on Twitter at 10:30 a.m. ET on April 7, with semifinal, consolation and championship games televised live on ESPN2 later that day at 3 p.m. ET. Returning to call all the action throughout the tournament will be the voice of FIBA 3x3 basketball, Kyle Montgomery, with Robbie Hummel of ESPN and Tate Frazier and Mark Titus of The Ringer's One Shining Podcast providing color commentary and sideline coverage.

"The attention from the inaugural Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship last year has really elevated the anticipation for this year's event at Mall of America," said Drew Russell, executive vice president at Intersport, the Chicago-based agency which operates the event. "We are incredibly excited about the field of players that will be competing in the event and believe the talent that will be on display will create an unforgettable atmosphere for everyone involved. Additionally, we're confident these players are going to enjoy a one of a kind experience that will help position them for the next steps in their basketball careers."

Each team roster will be comprised of four eligible seniors from the same Division I conference. Teams will be organized into eight pools of four and each team will be guaranteed three pool play games, earning $1,000 for every victory on Friday and Saturday. The top two teams in each pool will move on to Sunday's knockout stage, where the stakes skyrocket. Only the teams competing in the tournament final will earn additional prize money, with the champions winning $100,000.

The setting for the second annual Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship will be unlike anything the 128 players have seen when they take to the half-court inside Mall of America, the most popular tourist destination in Minnesota with more than 40 million visitors each year. The Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship will be staged in the Rotunda at the Mall, which hosted the first WCW Monday Nitro in September 1995, and will be just the second live sporting event to be broadcast in the Mall's history.

Bragging rights for the winners won't end in Minnesota; the 2019 champion will earn the right to represent the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship at the USA Basketball 3x3 Open National Championship later this spring. There, athletes will have the opportunity to be selected to represent the United States in the 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Cup, held June 18-23 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Participating athletes will also be considered for the USA Basketball 3x3 athlete pool, which may lead to future opportunities in other FIBA 3x3 competitions. Of note, the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will feature 3x3 basketball as a medal sport for the first time.

Admission to the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship is free and fans are encouraged to be part of the atmosphere during regular Mall of America operating hours (10 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. CT on April 5-6, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. CT on April 7).

For more information on the Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship, including event updates, details, rules and more, follow us on Twitter at @3X3UHoopsor online at www.3X3UHoops.com.

About Intersport
Since 1985, Intersport has been an award-winning innovator and leader in the creation of sports, lifestyle, culinary and entertainment-based marketing platforms. With expertise in Sponsorship Consulting, Experiential Marketing, Hospitality, Customer Engagement, Content Marketing, Productions and Sports Properties, this Chicago-based Marketing & Media Solutions Company helps their clients to create ideas, content and experiences that attract and engage passionate audiences. To learn more about Intersport, visit www.intersportnet.com, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation's leading high-end beer importer, is a subsidiary of HEINEKEN International NV, the world's most international brewer. Key brands imported into the U.S. are Heineken®– the world's most international beer brand, Dos Equis, Tecate and Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders. HEINEKEN USA also imports Amstel Light, Red Stripe, Tiger Beer, Newcastle Brown Ale, Birra Moretti, Bohemia and more. For news and updates, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com.

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Contact:
Dan Mihalik, Intersport, dmihalik@intersportnet.com, 312-883-3998

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Obi Okolie Selected to Participate in 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship

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