(Photo FIBA)
Chinese Taipei women and India men made early statements on the opening day of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, finishing unbeaten in the Qualifying Draw to secure their spots in the Main Draw.
They were joined by Kazakhstan women and the Malaysia men, who also advanced after strong opening-day performances at The Kallang.
Chinese Taipei were one of the most impressive teams of the day, sweeping their group with three convincing wins.
At the center of their run was Li Chen-I, who delivered a standout scoring display. She finished Day 1 with 23 points, including a 10-point explosion against Saudi Arabia, and knocked down seven two-pointers overall.
Chinese Taipei opened with a dominant 21-4 win over Bahrain, racing to an 18-1 lead before cruising. They followed it up with a composed 19-8 victory over Saudi Arabia, closing the game with a decisive 10-0 run after a tight start.
In their final game, Chinese Taipei pulled away from Hong Kong 19-11, overcoming an early deficit to finish unbeaten and top their group.
They now advance to the Main Draw, where they will join Japan and hosts Singapore in Pool C.
India hold nerve to go perfect
India’s path to the Main Draw was anything but straightforward. Still, they delivered when it mattered.
Led by Pranav Prince and Harsh Dagar, India went 3-0 in their group, with all three games decided by narrow margins. Prince impressed with 14 total points, including a game-winning performance in their opening victory.
India edged Kazakhstan 20-18 in a back-and-forth battle, with Prince stepping up late to seal the win. They followed it up with a tense 19-18 victory over Hong Kong, holding firm in the closing moments after a crucial missed free throw from their opponents.
They completed the sweep with a clinical 21-12 win over Bahrain, controlling the game from start to finish as Dagar unloaded Day 1’s highest single-game scoring total of 15 points.
India advance to Pool D in the Main Draw alongside New Zealand and Qatar.
Kazakhstan women, Malaysia men also advance
Kazakhstan were the first women’s team to book their place in the Main Draw, going unbeaten in their group.
They opened with a 20-17 win over Korea, leading wire-to-wire before holding off a late push. They followed it up with a convincing 21-12 victory over Vietnam, powered by Dilnaz Yerkebay, who scored 12 points, including four two-pointers.
Kazakhstan advance to Pool A, where they will face China and Thailand.
On the men’s side, Malaysia secured their progression after a strong showing in a competitive group.
They opened with a 20-16 win over Macau before defeating Saudi Arabia 22-14. Their final game delivered one of the moments of the day, which was a dramatic 22-20 overtime win over Turkmenistan, with Chang Zi Fueng hitting the game-winner to seal Malaysia’s place in the Main Draw.
Malaysia now move on to Pool B, where they will face China and Australia.
