28 Apr 2024
UTSUNOMIYA (Japan) - Miami (USA) start their season on a high, defeating reigning champions Ub Huishan NE (SRB) 21 - 20 to win the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Opener Utsunomiya 2024 on April 28.
The American side was relentless in Japan, going unbeaten on their way to the final. They defeated juggernauts in Vienna and Amsterdam in the knockout stages to book the stop clincher against Ub, a side they have faced multiple times last season.
It was an even keel start to the final, with Miami starting off with a 2-0 lead before a two from reigning MVP Strahinja Stojacic leveled things up. Ub started to pull away from the American side with some huge makes by Dejan Majstorovic and Nemanja Barac but Miami fought back with huge twos from Jimmer Fredette and Dylan Travis.
It quickly became an outside shooting battle with both teams letting up nothing on either end of the court. Miami picked up a late lead thanks to a two from Canyon Barry but Stojacic fought back with clutch buckets of his own.
Down 20-19 in the final moments of the game, it was Jimmer Fredette who called game with an incredible Maurice Lacroix buzzer-beating two to hand Miami a thrilling 21-20 victory against the reigning champions.
Jimmer Fredette was the engine for his side, not only being a constant offensive force for Miami but coming up clutch multiple times with numerous game winners, including the biggest one to hand them the win against Ub. His incredible showing earned him MVP honors.
In the Individual contests, Dejan Majstorovic (Ub Huishan NE) won the Maurice Lacroix shoot-out contest while Vadim "Miller" Piddubchenko won the Ashikawa Bank dunk contest.
The next FIBA 3x3 World Tour will be in Marseille on May 31 - June 1.
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Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.
It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly professional circuit for men and women (World Tour and Women’s Series respectively) and national-team competitions.
3x3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Wilson is the Global Ball Partner. Maurice Lacroix the Official Timekeeper and Chooks-to-Go the Global Partner of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2023.
FIBA 3x3 events are played on Enlio floors with Wilson balls, Schelde backstops, Bodet shot-clocks and the Magic Sky canopy system.
For further information about 3x3, visit fiba3x3.basketball, FIBA 3x3 accounts on Douyin, Facebook, Instagram, Sina Weibo, Tencent, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, Youku and YouTube or contact 3x3@fiba.basketball.