Team Dubai is still learning the ropes of 3×3 basketball, but its early results suggest a team with plenty of potential, and the players are eager to show it when the FIBA 3×3 World Tour arrives in Dubai this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Formed with players from four different countries who initially barely knew one another, Team Dubai had little time to build chemistry before making its debut at the Matar\u00f3 Challenger. According to Jean-Marc Mwema, the team had managed only about five practices together before stepping onto the court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The adjustment was a challenge, with the players transitioning from 5-on-5 basketball while learning a new discipline and developing a shared identity. Yet Team Dubai made it to the quarter-finals in Matar\u00f3, even playing with just three players in its final games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“For us, it’s play fast, hit shots, and then get stopped, get another shot,” said Lachlan Anderson, describing the team’s approach. “That’s more the identity we tried to build.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group came together through the efforts of Dusan Bulut, the Serbian 3×3 basketball legend who helped assemble the roster. The players then had to turn a collection of unfamiliar faces into a cohesive unit, relying on hard work and a willingness to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Mwema, the experience has brought a welcome sense of starting over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I really felt like a rookie again. That was the fun part, a 36-year-old rookie,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite their limited preparation, the players believe their first tournament offered a glimpse of what they can accomplish with more time together. Mwema sees considerable room for improvement, particularly as the team continues to develop its understanding of the game and of one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I feel like once we figure that out, we can be a very dangerous team,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, Team Dubai has another motivation: representing the city on the FIBA 3×3 World Tour stage. For Anderson, wearing Dubai on the team’s jerseys and giving local fans a new team to support will make the experience particularly special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Craig Osaikhwuwuomwan echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the responsibility of representing the country that gave the players an opportunity to compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We are able to represent a country that gave us the opportunity to play, so we really want to leave a good impression over there,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With more to learn and chemistry still developing, Team Dubai knows the challenge ahead. But after making the Quarter-Finals with minimal preparation, the players are eager to discover just how far they can go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Osaikhwuwuomwan put it: “I think it’s going to be a real show.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top seed Ub of Serbia headline the field, followed by Amsterdam RABOBANK<\/em> of the Netherlands and Liman , also of Serbia in second and third, respectively. Baskets Bonn and Skyliners, both from Germany complete the top five, setting up a competitive field featuring established FIBA 3×3 World Tour contenders and teams looking to make their mark at the Tour’s first-ever stop in Dubai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Raudondvaris Hoptrans<\/em> of Lithuania, DeQing (Chn), Fuengirola (Esp), Cibona Ph.Classic<\/em> (Cro), Toronto (Can), Taipei WanBao<\/em> (Tpe), Lausanne (Sui), host team Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qat) complete the 14-team field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eleven teams have secured direct places in the main draw, while the remaining three will compete in the qualifying draw. The winner will advance to the main draw and complete the 12-team field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool A features top seed Ub alongside Cibona Ph.Classic<\/em> and Toronto. The Serbian side will enter as one of the leading contenders for the Dubai title, with the top seed looking to make another deep run on the World Tour. Cibona and Toronto will aim to challenge Ub and secure their places in the knockout stages. Ub are aiming for their fourth World Tour title of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool B sees second seed Amsterdam RABOBANK<\/em>, who are hoping to notch their third World Tour win of 2026, matched with Fuengirola and Lausanne. The Dutch side will look to justify their position among the top seeds, but Fuengirola and Lausanne will both be eager to make their presence felt. With two places in the Quarter-Finals available, all three teams will be looking to make a strong start to the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third seed Liman headline Pool C alongside DeQing and host team Dubai. Liman will arrive hungry for their third FIBA 3×3 World Tour title this season, but DeQing and Dubai will provide challenging opposition. The home side will also have the opportunity to make the most of their support in front of the Dubai crowd as they take on two established World Tour competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool D features fourth seed Baskets Bonn, fifth seed Skyliners and the winner of the Qualifying Draw. The two German sides will meet in a compelling group-stage matchup, with both looking to turn their strong seedings into a place in the Quarter-Finals. Like Ub, Baskets Bonn are also targeting a fourth World Tour stop win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Qualifying Draw winner will have a challenging task ahead, joining two top-five seeds in Pool D. Raudondvaris Hoptrans<\/em>, Taipei WanBao<\/em> and Doha will battle for that final Main Draw spot, with only one team advancing to face Baskets Bonn and Skyliners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the seedings and pools now confirmed, attention turns to Dubai, where three teams will first fight for a place in the Main Draw before the 12-team field begins its title campaign. The action gets underway on Friday, November 6, with the Qualifying Draw and Main Draw pool games, followed by the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final on Saturday, November 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qualifying Draw:<\/strong> Raudondvaris Hoptrans<\/em> (LTU), Taipei WanBao<\/em> (TPE), Doha (QAT)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool A:<\/strong> Ub (SRB), Cibona Ph.Classic<\/em> (CRO), Toronto (CAN) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool B:<\/strong> Amsterdam RABOBANK<\/em> (NED), Fuengirola (ESP), Lausanne (SUI) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool C:<\/strong> Liman (SRB), DeQing (CHN), Dubai (UAE) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pool D:<\/strong> Baskets Bonn (GER), Skyliners (GER), QD A<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Team Dubai is still learning the ropes of 3×3 basketball, but its early results suggest a team with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,264],"tags":[94,52],"class_list":["post-17379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsbeat","category-uncategorized-en","tag-3-x-3","tag-basketball"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\tPools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Main Draw<\/h3>\n\n\n\n