Amsterdam RABOBANK (Photo FIBA)
Amsterdam RABOBANK of the Netherlands successfully defended their FIBA 3×3 World Tour Bucharest title, completing a perfect seven-game run from the qualifying draw to defeat Fuengirola (ESP), 19-17, in a thrilling Final on Sunday.
Led by MVP Worthy de Jong, Amsterdam overcame a determined Fuengirola side to claim their second World Tour stop win of the 2026 season, adding to their triumph at WT Vienna. The Dutch side successfully became back-to-back FIBA 3×3 World Tour Bucharest winners, capping an impressive campaign.
Fuengirola made history in Bucharest, becoming the first Spanish team to reach a FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final. But Amsterdam’s experience and composure proved decisive in a tense, physical contest.
The teams traded the lead throughout a low-scoring Final. Fuengirola held an 8-5 advantage midway through the game before Amsterdam responded to move ahead, 9-8, under four minutes remaining. Isaac Mayo and his teammates continued to fight, tying the game at 12-12 and again at 17-17 after Mayo converted two free-throws following a foul on a two-point attempt.
With the title hanging in the balance, de Jong delivered the decisive blow, draining a game-winning two-pointer to seal the 19-17 victory and send Amsterdam to the top once again.
The Dutch side’s road to the title was far from straightforward. They opened their knockout campaign with a 16-13 win over Hangzhou Jingwei of China, with de Jong recording six points, seven rebounds and eight highlights. Amsterdam then faced Miami (USA) in a physical Semi-Final, where de Jong erupted for 16 points to power his team to a 21-18 win.
That victory set up the final against Fuengirola, who had made their own historic run to the championship game.
The Spanish side edged Kaunas VDU of Lithuania, 21-18, in the semi-finals after overcoming a 13-12 deficit with a decisive 5-0 run. Isaac Mayo led Fuengirola with eight points as they secured their first-ever World Tour Final appearance and made history for Spanish 3×3 basketball.
Worthy de Jong was named MVP of FIBA 3×3 World Tour Bucharest 2026 after leading Amsterdam RABOBANK to the title with a series of outstanding performances. The Dutch star finished the tournament ranked first in overall Player Value with 58.4, while his 46 points and 26 highlights also led all players. He collected 20 rebounds, the third-highest total in the competition, and recorded five dunks, ranking second overall.
De Jong saved some of his best basketball for the knockout rounds. He helped Amsterdam advance past Hangzhou Jingwei in the quarter-finals before taking over in the Semi-Final against Miami. He then delivered the decisive basket in the Final to complete Amsterdam’s successful title defense.
Lucas Ugolin of Toulouse of France won the Shootout Contest presented by the Romanian Basketball Federation, scoring 16 points to claim the title.
Meanwhile, Jeremiah Walker took home the Slam Dunk Contest title presented by BCR. The English dunker secured his third Slam Dunk Contest victory of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour 2026 season, adding Bucharest to his previous wins at WT Vienna and WT Lausanne.
Liman crowned Aichi Challenger winners as Toronto, Shibuya and Skyliners book Manama tickets
Liman of Serbia captured the FIBA 3×3 Aichi Challenger, defeating Shanghai of China 21-17 in the final at LaLaport NAGOYA minato AQULS.
Led by tournament MVP Nemanja Zigon, the Serbian side claimed their fourth Challenger stop win, while Toronto of Canada, Japan’s Shibuya and Skyliners of Germany secured their places at the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Manama 2026.
Liman navigated a competitive field to lift the Aichi Challenger banner, overcoming Cibona Ph.Classic of Croatia 17-13 in the Quarter-Finals before defeating Toronto 21-17 in the semi-finals.
The Serbian side’s run included a dramatic pool-stage encounter against Shibuya, which ended in a 21-20 overtime defeat. Liman responded in the knockout rounds, delivering when it mattered most to reach the Final.
Against Shanghai, Liman produced another composed performance to secure the 21-17 victory. Already pre-qualified for World Tour Manama, the Serbian powerhouse added another title to their campaign and reinforced their status among the leading teams on the FIBA 3×3 Pro Circuit.
Shanghai also enjoyed an impressive run to the Final, showcasing their scoring power throughout the tournament.
The Chinese side opened with a 21-13 win over Seef of Bahrain before defeating Toronto 22-18 in pool play. They maintained their momentum in the knockout stage, beating Crvena Zvezda of Serbia 22-15 in the quarter-finals and Shibuya 21-17 in the semi-finals.
Despite falling short against Liman, Shanghai finished second and confirmed their place at World Tour Manama, having already secured qualification before the Aichi Challenger.
The final brought together two of the tournament’s strongest teams, with Liman and Shanghai battling for the Aichi banner. Liman ultimately prevailed 21-17, finding the points needed to close out the contest and secure the championship. Dušan Popović topped all scorers in the Final with 9 points. The victory capped a strong knockout-stage run for the Serbian side, which overcame two tough opponents before defeating Shanghai in the Final.
Zigon earned MVP honors after showcasing consistently high productivity throughout the tournament. The Liman standout recorded 26 total points, seven drives and 34.0 total player value, ranking third in the field in the latter category and fourth in drives.
His contribution helped Liman complete their title-winning campaign, while the tournament also determined three additional qualifiers for FIBA 3×3 World Tour Manama 2026.
Shibuya, Toronto and Skyliners secured the remaining places among the eligible teams. Liman, Shanghai and Cibona Ph.Classic had already pre-qualified, meaning all six teams will be part of the Manama field.
Final Standings
Bucharest:
1. Amsterdam RABOBANK (NED)
2. Fuengirola (ESP)
3. Miami (USA)
4. Kaunas VDU (LTU)
5. Antwerp (BEL)
6. DeQing (CHN)
7. Baskets Bonn (GER)
8. Hangzhou Jingwei (CHN)
9. Ub (SRB)
10. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)
11. Toulouse (FRA)
12. Cluj (ROU)
13. Lausanne (SUI)
14. Taipei WanBao (TPE)
15. Phoenix (USA) 16. Dubai (UAE)
Aichi
1. Liman (SRB) – already pre-qualified to WT Manama
2. Shanghai (CHN) – already pre-qualified to WT Manama
3. Shibuya (JPN) – qualified to WT Manama
4. Toronto (CAN) – qualified to WT Manama
5. Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) – already pre-qualified to WT Manama
6. Skyliners (GER) – qualified to WT Manama
