Ulaanbaatar Amazons (Photo World Rugby)
Ulaanbaatar Amazons of Mongolia added another chapter to their outstanding 2026 campaign after defeating France 20-19 in a pulsating final to claim the inaugural FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Jinan title.
With the Final hanging in the balance at 19-all, Amari Robinson muscled her way inside for the decisive basket before the Amazons locked down defensively in the closing seconds to seal their second FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series title of the season.
Kayleigh Truong paced the winners with eight points in the Final, while MVP Khulan Onolbaatar once again delivered in the biggest moments throughout the weekend.
The Ulaanbaatar Amazons overcame one of the toughest paths to the title. After advancing from a tightly contested Pool A, they stunned host favorites China 21-18 in the quarter-finals behind another influential performance from Onolbaatar before edging Mitsubishi Electric of Japan 18-17 in a tense semi-final clash. They completed their triumphant run by surviving a dramatic back-and-forth Final against France.
France looked every bit a championship contender throughout the tournament. They dominated pool play with convincing victories over Philippines and France U25, before overpowering an undermanned Germany 19-11 in the Quarter-Finals.
Their semi-final showcased their resilience. Trailing Beijing 12-8 midway through the contest, France flipped the momentum behind the outstanding play of Marie Mané, who scored nine points as the French side stormed back for a 21-16 victory and a place in the Final.
Although they came within one possession of winning the title, France ultimately fell just short after an entertaining championship battle.
The Final delivered everything fans could have hoped for. France raced out to a 5-2 advantage before the Ulaanbaatar Amazons answered with an impressive run to seize an 11-5 lead midway through the contest. The momentum continued to swing as a clutch two-pointer from Mané restored France’s advantage at 15-14.
Neither side could create separation during a frantic finish, with the score eventually locked at 19-all. Robinson then produced the decisive moment, finishing through contact inside for the game-winning basket before the Amazons’ defense denied France a clean last attempt to secure a memorable 20-19 triumph.
Beijing opened Championship Sunday by defeating Thailand 21-16 behind Wu TongTong’s seven-point effort, while France cruised past Germany 19-11 as Marie Milapie poured in 10 points.
The day’s thriller came in the quarter-finals as Mitsubishi Electric edged France U25 15-14 in overtime. After France U25 erased a late three-point deficit and forced the extra period, Yurin Yamamoto buried the decisive two-pointer to send the Japanese side into the Quarter-Finals.
The last quarter-final produced another classic as Ulaanbaatar Amazons rallied from an early deficit to upset host nation China 21-18, with Onolbaatar once again leading the charge.
France then erased a four-point deficit against Beijing in the quarter-finals, outscoring the hosts down the stretch to book their place in the championship game. In the other semi-final, Ulaanbaatar Amazons survived another nail-biter, holding off Mitsubishi Electric 18-17 after reclaiming the lead with a decisive late run.
With another FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series title secured, Ulaanbaatar Amazons strengthened their position in the Race to the Final while continuing to establish themselves as one of the circuit’s benchmark teams in 2026.
The tournament’s biggest individual honor went to Khulan Onolbaatar, whose all-around brilliance powered the Ulaanbaatar Amazons throughout the weekend.
The Mongolian star finished among the tournament leaders with 20 highlights (2nd), nine drives (2nd), 32.4 player value (3rd), 10 key assists (3rd) and 17 rebounds (3rd). Beyond the numbers, her leadership and clutch play proved instrumental as Ulaanbaatar Amazons captured another FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series crown.
Final Standings
1. Ulaanbaatar Amazons (MGL) 2. France (FRA) 3. Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) 4. Beijing (CHN) 5. China (CHN) 6. Thailand (THA) 7. France U25 (FRA) 8. Germany (GER) 9. Paris Région IDF (FRA) 10. Bangkok CT (THA) 11. Philippines (PHI) 12. Mongolia (MGL) 13. Manila (PHI) 14. Yanjing (CHN) 15. Sukhbaatar (MGL) 16. Vietnam (VIE)
