Lausanne shine in Hanchuan, secure World Tour spot

Lausanne produced a sensational performance to capture the inaugural FIBA 3×3 Hanchuan Challenger 2026, defeating Skyliners of Germany 22-14 in the Final at the picturesque Tianyu Lake Scenic Area.

After emerging from Pool A despite an opening-day loss to Lausanne, Skyliners looked poised for revenge in the Final. Instead, the Swiss side delivered another clinical display behind MVP Natan Jurkovitz and Jonathan Kazadi to finish an unforgettable weekend in style.

Lausanne enjoyed an opening victory over Princeton to tip off the tournament’s most impressive run. After upsetting fourth-ranked Skyliners in pool play, the Swiss side carried that momentum into the final.

Kazadi starred in a convincing 21-14 Quarter-Final victory over Valencia Basket of Spain before Lausanne produced one of the performances of the tournament in the semi-finals. Kazadi poured in 10 points as Lausanne buried seven two-pointers to overwhelm home favorites Shanghai 22-10, ending the contest with more than four minutes remaining.

The final followed a similar script. Lausanne stormed to a quick start before extending the margin to 17-9 midway through the contest through crisp ball movement and efficient shooting. Skyliners never found an answer as Lausanne sealed their first Challenger stop win of the 2026 season.

Jurkovitz was deservedly named tournament MVP after stuffing the stat sheet throughout the weekend. He finished first in rebounds (30), offensive rebounds (16), dunks (6) and double-fives (2), while ranking among the tournament leaders in player value (42.2) and one-point field goals made.

Skyliners once again demonstrated why they have been among the Pro Circuit’s most consistent teams this season.

Stefan Kojic made an immediate impact in his return from several weeks of rest, helping the German side defeat Princeton before finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 36 points. After falling to Lausanne in pool play, Skyliners bounced back by eliminating Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU) in the Quarter-Finals before Kojic erupted for 14 points to inspire a comeback victory over Taipei WanBao (TPE) in the semi-Finals.

Although they were unable to avenge their earlier defeat against Lausanne, Skyliners left Hanchuan with another podium finish and a well-earned FIBA 3×3 World Tour qualification.

The title game quickly turned into a showcase for Lausanne’s relentless pace and execution.

The Swiss side raced to an early 9-3 lead and never allowed Skyliners to establish any rhythm offensively. Every German rally was answered by timely baskets as Lausanne consistently found quality looks inside and beyond the arc.

Thomas Jurkovitz contributed seven points in the Final, while Kazadi and the rest of the Swiss attack maintained constant pressure. Titouan Vannay fittingly delivered the Final blow with the decisive two-pointer as Lausanne wrapped up a commanding 22-14 victory.

Lausanne, Skyliners and Taipei WanBao were rewarded for their impressive performances in Hanchuan by securing qualification to the FIBA 3×3 World Tour TBC 2026 stop, keeping their Pro Circuit momentum alive heading into the latter stages of the season.

Liman lift first-ever Darkhan Challenger

Serbia’s Liman captured the inaugural FIBA 3×3 Darkhan Challenger 2026 title after defeating DeQing of China 21-14 at the Darkhan United Arena.

Powered by tournament MVP Stefan Milivojevic, Liman capped a flawless weekend by winning all five of their games to lift their first Challenger trophy of the 2026 season. While the Serbian side had already collected two FIBA 3×3 World Tour 2026 titles this year, Darkhan marked another milestone as they added the Challenger win to their growing list of achievements.

Alongside champions Liman, Finalists DeQing and third-placed Toronto (CAN) secured qualification for the upcoming FIBA 3×3 World Tour.

Liman looked every bit the tournament favorite from the opening day, comfortably topping Pool A after victories over Sansar M Bank of Mongolia, 21-15, and Marijampole MANTINGA of Lithuania 16-14. Their balanced attack and trademark defensive intensity carried over into the knockout rounds, where they eliminated qualifier Liberec of the Szech Republic 19-13, before producing one of the performances of the tournament in a commanding 22-12 Semi-Final victory over Cibona Ph.Classic of Croatia.

The Serbian powerhouse completed the job in the championship game, once again showcasing why they have been among the most consistent teams on the Pro Circuit this season.

Milivojevic led the way throughout the tournament, earning MVP honors after finishing with a tournament-best 40.5 player value, while adding 31 points and 10 two-pointers. He was ably supported by Nemanja Zigon, who finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with 33 points, including back-to-back standout performances.

DeQing enjoyed an outstanding run to the Final after recovering from an opening-day defeat to Vienna. The Chinese side responded with victories over Zavkhan of Mongolia to reach the quarter-finals before producing arguably the biggest upset of the tournament by knocking out home favorites Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy of Mongolia 21-19, in a dramatic finish.

They continued their impressive form in the Semi-Finals, edging Toronto, 18-17, in another thriller. Guo Hanyu delivered three clutch two-pointers, while Zhang Dianliang controlled both ends of the floor as DeQing held off a late Toronto comeback to reach the championship game.

The titular game began as a defensive battle, with DeQing holding a narrow 3-2 advantage during the opening exchanges. Liman gradually settled into rhythm and moved ahead 8-7 midway through the contest before beginning to dictate the tempo.

A relentless defensive effort fueled the decisive run as Liman turned stops into easy baskets to open a 17-12 advantage with less than two minutes remaining. Milivojevic then buried a trademark two-pointer to extend the lead to seven, before Zigon sealed the win as Liman closed out a convincing 21-14 outcome.

The tournament’s top three finishers booked their places at the FIBA 3×3 World Tour TBC 2026 in November.

Champions Liman will be joined by DeQing and Toronto, who all produced outstanding weekends to secure their places on the sport’s biggest stage.

Netherlands claim third Women’s Series title of season

The Netherlands captured their third FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series stop title of the 2026 season after defeating hometown favorites Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) 21-16 in an entertaining Final at the Tokyo Stop.

Behind a spectacular shooting display from tournament MVP Ilse Kuijt, the Dutch completed an unbeaten campaign to claim the season’s first three-stop champion’s crown, while Mitsubishi Electric delighted the home crowd with an inspired run to their first Women’s Series Final of the year.

The Netherlands once again demonstrated why they remain among the elite teams on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series circuit.

After sweeping Pool C with convincing victories over Takasaki of Japan and Beijing, the Dutch continued their impressive form in the knockout rounds, comfortably defeating Netherlands U25 before overcoming a resilient Japan in the Semi-Finals.

Their toughest test came in the Final against a fearless Mitsubishi Electric team, but Kuijt’s experience and shot-making ultimately proved decisive. The victory gives the Netherlands their third Women’s Series stop title of the season, which is the most by any team so far, and moves them into the top five of the Race to the Final standings.

Mitsubishi Electric produced their finest FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series performance of the season to reach a memorable Final on home soil.

After advancing from Pool B alongside Canada (CAN), the Japanese side caught fire on Day 2, upsetting France U25 (FRA) behind a remarkable individual display from Fuyuko Takahashi before edging Beijing in a thrilling Semi-Final.

Although they ultimately fell short against the Netherlands, Mitsubishi Electric announced themselves as genuine contenders with a fearless brand of 3×3 basketball that thrilled the crowd inside the the Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium throughout the weekend.

The Final lived up to expectations, with Mitsubishi Electric matching the Netherlands possession for possession during the opening stages.

The Dutch held only a narrow 9-8 advantage midway through the contest before Kuijt began to take over. A two-pointer sparked a decisive scoring run that extended the lead to 15-11 with less than four minutes remaining.

Mitsubishi Electric refused to back down, though, battling back to within a single point at 17-16 entering the closing minutes. But once again Kuijt delivered when it mattered most, knocking down the game’s final four points — including another long-range bomb — to seal a 21-16 victory and the Tokyo title.

The knockout stage delivered plenty of drama as several favorites fell before Championship Sunday reached its climax.

Beijing produced arguably the tournament’s biggest upset in the Quarter-Finals, eliminating top seeds Neftchi SOCAR of Azerbaijan 20-17 behind a balanced offensive effort led by Wu TongTong. Mitsubishi Electric then stunned France U25 18-11 as Fuyuko Takahashi erupted for 12 points — outscoring the entire French team on her own.

Japan added another upset by edging Canada 19-18 thanks to a 10-point performance from Miku Takahashi, while the Netherlands comfortably defeated Netherlands U25 21-10 to complete the Semi-Finals lineup.

Mitsubishi Electric’s dream run continued in the Semi-Finals as Takahashi once again led the way with eight points, including three two-pointers, in a thrilling 21-19 victory over Beijing to reach the team’s first Women’s Series Final of the season.

The Netherlands, meanwhile, were pushed hard by Japan before prevailing 15-11 in a defensive battle, setting up the championship showdown against the tournament’s surprise finalists.

Final Standings:

Hanchuan Challenger

1. Lausanne (SUI) – qualified to WT TBC

2. Skyliners (GER) – qualified to WT TBC

3. Taipei WanBao (TPE) – qualified to WT TBC

4. Shanghai (CHN)

5. RaudondvarisHoptrans (LTU)

Darkhan Challenger

1. Liman (SRB) – qualified to WT TBC
2. DeQing (CHN) – qualified to WT TBC
3. Toronto (CAN) – qualified to WT TBC
4. Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO)
5. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)

Women’s Series Tokyo

1. Netherlands (NED)
2. Mitsubishi Electric (JPN)
3. Japan (JPN)
4. Beijing (CHN)
5. Canada (CAN)
6. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE)
7. France U25 (FRA)
8. Netherlands U25 (NED)
9. Takasaki (JPN)
10. United States (USA)
11. Romania (ROU)
12. Singapore (SGP)
13. Philippines (PHI)
14. Lion City (SGP)
15. Indonesia (INA)
16. Vietnam (VIE)