All we learned from 3x3 World Tour Montreal Masters

MONTREAL (Canada) - As the 3x3 World Tour rolls along, we are beginning to see which teams are ready to separate themselves as favorites from the rest of the field. 

On September 4-5, Montreal was once again home to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, filled with Tissot Buzzer Beaters, internet-breaking dunks, and the fastest 10-minute sprint you’ll find. 

After another Masters in the books, let’s take a look at everything we learned in Quebec’s largest city. 

Ub is the cream of the crop

Winners of 10 straight World Tour games, Ub (SRB) are now back-to-back Masters winners. After four events, they sit atop the rankings, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. We know this team would be better when they added Dejan Majstorovic in the offseason, but we weren’t sure if or when they would start clicking.

 Strahinja Stojacic was the most recent hero for the Serbians, finishing with a tournament-high 40 points and the MVP trophy.

It feels like there is a shifting of powers this season, and Ub is staking their claim as the team to beat.

 

Amsterdam just keep coming

Having finished second at the Montreal Masters, Amsterdam has now finished 1st, 3rd, and 2nd in their three World Tour events this season.

Maksim Kovacevic has brought even more offensive punch to a team that is loaded with players that can score from every part of the floor. Arvin Slagter is one of the most feared shooters in the game while Dimeo van Der Horst is still a handful down low. Throw in Julian Jaring’s experience and clutch play, and Amsterdam has positioned themselves as the second-best team on tour, behind Ub.

Riga, Liman, and the traditional 3x3 powers are no longer solely at the top. There are new World Tour Final challengers in town, shaping up for an exciting final few months of the season. 

 

Antwerp is becoming a two-headed monster

For all the talk about Thibaut Vervoort and his must-see TV, Nick Celis has become the second member of Antwerp that is making it harder for us to deny them as one of the top teams on the World Tour. In many ways, the team goes as far as he does. He was the leading scorer for Antwerp against Edmonton and Lausanne, both wins, and when he went scoreless vs. Amsterdam, the Belgians struggled.

He led the team in P-VAL (31.4), highlights, key assists while hitting all four of his two-pointers. Currently sitting in 5th place in the standings, it will key for Antwerp to get contributions up and down the roster as the season progresses.

Princeton is better with Hummel

The first two Masters events of the year had been underwhelming for Princeton. After a 10th place finish in Doha and a 9th place spot in Lausanne, the Americans were starting to lose some of the shine on their sparkling reputation. 

The missing piece was Robbie Hummel, the  World Cup 2019 MVP. He made the difference for Princeton this past weekend, adding 19 points, including seven 2-pointers and a Tissot Buzzer Beater against Amsterdam in Pool C. He adds another dynamic scorer and a shooting threat that opens the game up for others. We hope to see more of Hummel throughout the World Tour season and see how far Princeton can go. 

 

 

Steve Sir will be missed

It was a weekend of returns and goodbyes in Montreal.

We were happy to be back in the Canadian city, the first North American World Tour event since 2019, but we also said goodbye to a 3x3 veteran and the pride of Canada, Steve Sir. 

Not only was he a trailblazer for Canadian 3x3, but he was a bonafide stud from beyond the arc. To this day, he still holds the shoot-out competition record and was one of the most feared players on tour from distance.

He leaves a legacy that will be felt for years to come and will be hanging around the game. Thanks, Steve for all you did for 3x3.

 

FIBA