Iona College women’s basketball freshman guard Sara Krumpholcova will play with the Czech Republic national team in the FIBA U23 3×3 World Championship in China from Oct. 3 to Oct. 7, according to ICGaels.com.

Krumpholcova got into 3×3 basketball three years ago when she participated in the FIBA U18 World Championship.

“I was playing five-on-five and then Coach Michaela Uhrová just texted me,” Krumpholcova told ICGaels.com. “And I just said okay, why not?”

Krumpholcova helped the Czech Republic finish third, which was the country’s best finish ever at the time. Later that year, the Czech Republic earned gold in the FIBA 3×3 U18 European Championship. Krumpholcova was named Most Valuable Player after scoring eight points in the team’s victory over Ukraine.

Krumpholcova received MVP honors in her second appearance at the 3×3 European Championships when the Czech Republic placed third.

Even though Krumpholcova has experience playing 3×3 basketball, it took her some time to understand the rules and handle the fast pace of the game.

“You have 12 seconds to shoot and the referees are not so strict,” Krumpholcova said on ICGaels.com. “You can foul someone, and the referees are just like ‘okay.’ It’s very a fast paced and not very structured game. You can kind of do whatever you want.”

Krumpholcova is one of nine newcomers on Iona’s roster this season. Head Coach Billi Chambers is excited for Krumpholcova showcasing her talents on the national stage.

“We are excited for Sara to play for her home country and continue the success she has had on the international stage,” Chambers told ICGaels.com. “Sara has shown her talents here in New Rochelle during the preseason, and now she has a chance to further her growth as a player and as a leader at the FIBA U23 3×3 World Championship.”

What is the FIBA 3×3 World Championship?

The FIBA 3×3 World Championship debuted in 2012 and received Olympic status in 2017.

The FIBA 3×3 tournament has different rules compared to typical five-on-five basketball.

There are three players from each team on the court instead of five, and team’s are allowed to have one substitute.

The game is played on a half-court and there is no jump ball. A coin toss prior to the game decides what team gets first possession. A 12-second shot clock is used.

The winner is based on which teams scores 21 points first or whichever has the highest at the end of 10 minutes. If there’s a tie after regulation, teams will play in an untimed overtime period, where the first team to score two points wins.

How to watch the FIBA 3×3 World Championship

You can watch Krumpholcova and the rest of the FIBA 3×3 World Championship on the tournament’s official YouTube channel.