DEBRECEN (Hungary) – Ub Huishan NE (SRB) returned to form as they defeated Miami (USA) 21 – 18 to win the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Debrecen on September 1.
The Serbians were clinical from the start as they went unbeaten on their way to the final. They would face three-manned Miami who had been equally dominant on their side of the bracket.
Strahinja Stojacic and Nenad Nerandzic connected early to tip the scoring for the Serbian side but the on-fire Dylan Travis got things going for Miami. The undermanned American side made it a battle early on with physical defense but Ub did well to establish their inside presence. Both teams found success from deep as well, making big twos early.
It was a back-and-forth matchup between the two colossal sides with scores tied at 10-10 halfway into the contest. James Parrott was the one to take over at the stage, making huge twos in quick succession to give Miami a 4-point lead.
Ub fired back, however with inside buckets before Stojacic tied things up with a two. He struck again from deep before Travis answered back with the same. Scores tied at 18-18, Dejan Majstorovic made a crucial two. They got the win thanks to a goaltending violation, handing Ub their second stop win of the season.
Stojacic was once again lethal on both ends of the floor for the Serbian Giants as he had himself a 30-point tournament, including 7 in the final against Miami. He also led the competition in player value with 59.1. His efforts would earn him yet another MVP accolade.
In the individual contests, Plunge’s Ignas Razutis won the Maurice Lacroix shoot-out contest while Kristaps Dargais won the Maurice Lacroix dunk contest.
STANDINGS
1. Ub Huishan NE
2. Miami
3. Riffa
4. Utrecht
5. Liman
6. Vienna
7. Amsterdam
8. Warsaw Lotto
9. Plunge
10. Mataro Pando
11. Debrecen
12. Podgorica Kodio
13. Montreux
14. Split Sportko
About FIBA 3×3
Exciting, urban and innovative, 3×3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.
It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly professional circuit for men and women (World Tour and Women’s Series respectively) and national-team competitions. 3×3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Wilson is the Global Ball Partner and Maurice Lacroix the Official Timekeeper of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 2024.
FIBA 3×3 events are played on Enlio floors with Wilson balls, Schelde backstops, Bodet shot-clocks and the Magic Sky canopy system.
Credit: FIBA