All we learned from FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau 2024

MACAU - With the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2024 entering the final stretch, hungry teams put on a show at an incredibly entertaining Macau Masters on October 19-20. 

Here's all we learned from the 12th stop of 2024. 

Ub have found their absolute best form

The kid's gloves are off and now the heavyweight champs are packing an almighty punch on the competition. Ub Huishan NE's (SRB) stranglehold of the competition had loosened after a modest start by their standards. 

But Ub are now rolling having won successive titles on the World Tour capped by an unbeaten run to superbly defend their title in Macau. Ub quite clearly still hold the crown and so too their talisman Strahinja Stojacic, who claimed MVP after topping most of the major stats.

But stats doesn't fully justify a performance that was filled with ice cold heroics in the clutch and, fittingly, he closed out Paris (FRA) in the final to once again sit snugly on his throne. 

 

Paris regroup through speedy Suhard

You just knew that Paris would bounce back after a rare flame out in Amsterdam. They fell short of a second title, but produced an inspired run after a shaky pool loss to Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL). 

They had memorable dubs in the knockout stage against San Juan Church's and Partizan Meta Force (SRB) in another impressive campaign for the Frenchmen. 

Speedy Hugo Suhard was the standout with a team-high 32 points and he had special chemistry going with superstar Franck Seguela, who was up to his usual crazy moves on the half-court. 

Paris are back on track and that spells trouble for opponents. 

 

German young guns were electric 

They're time is coming. We've known that for a while, but German young guns Fabian Giessmann and Denzel Agyeman have taken a jump this season. 

They are two of the most exciting prospects in 3x3 making St Pauli (GER) must see tv.

Giessmann made a statement that he is a superstar in the making, while Agyeman was a human highlight reel before St Pauli's entertaining run from the QD ended to Ub in the quarters. 

But this is just the start of something special.   

 

Boogie dazzles briefly

There was so much electricity in the air for former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins' second act after his incredible World Tour debut in Wuxi. 

You just knew he would have learned a ton from his initiation and there was an expectation that he would flat out dominate in Macau. He did exactly that against powerhouse Riffa in a scoring binge of 13 points along with 8 rebounds. 

His long-range shooting was awry in Wuxi, but Cousins hit 3-of-5 in an ominous warning to opponents. His efforts weren't enough as Wuxi WenLV (CHN) fell in a tight affair. 

Unfortunately Cousins was sidelined for Wuxi's final pool game as they slumped out of the tournament with an identical 21-18 loss to Princeton (USA). 

Still we had another glimpse of the destructiveness big boy 'Boogie' can inflict on the half-court. 

 

Macau is an amazing new 3x3 destination

After such a memorable first edition last year, the return to glamorous Macau was even better. 

The venue just outside the world famous Wynn Palace was the hottest ticket in town to cement this tourist magnet destination firmly on the World Tour schedule. 

FIBA