Powerhouses Ub continue FIBA 3x3 World Tour domination by clinching 2023 Utsunomiya Opener
Defending 3x3 World Tour champions from Serbia go undefeated in Japan, securing a 21–11 win over Antwerp in the final
Basketball 3x3
There's no stopping Ub on the annual 3x3 men's basketball circuit.
Serbia's defending FIBA 3x3 World Tour champions – who clinched five tournament wins last season – got their 2023 season off to a winning start on Sunday (30 April), defeating Belgian side Antwerp 21–11 to win the WT Utsunomiya Opener in Japan.
Their triumph capped an undefeated weekend for Ub, as they look to keep Serbia's impressive record in the 3x3 series going.
Strahinja Stojacic, nicknamed "Doctor Strange", once again showed why he's the world's best-ranked 3x3 player, top-scoring in the final with nine of his side's 21 points and also leading the tournament charts with 39 points.
Stojacic's 85 per cent shooting from 1-point range (23 for 27) also led all players who made at least 10 one-point shots in Utsunomiya.
The season-opening event in Japan was the first of 14 World Tour stops in the 2023 season, leading to a concluding Final to be held in December.
In addition to delivering high-octane action, the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Tour is also serving as an opportunity for teams to earn points towards qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Federation Ranking list, calculated based on the points collected by a National Olympic Committee’s top 25 national players competing in FIBA-endorsed events, will be used to determine the first three quota spots for Paris and eligibility for subsequent Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.