Partizan win FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manama Masters 2023 presented by Bahrain Tourism and GFH

MANAMA (Bahrain) - Partizan (SRB) won their first World Tour Masters ever with a nail-biting 16-15 victory over Antwerp TOPdesk at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Manama Masters 2023 presented by Bahrain Tourism and GFH  on November 17.

Coming from the Qualifying Draw, the Serbian side battled each game, going 7-0 on their way to their maiden Masters win. 

They dispatched Vienna in the quarter-final before coming away with a close 19 - 21 victory over Hangzhou in the semi-finals. 

In the Final, they were pitted against a sharpshooting Antwerp side who had been on fire offensively on the day. Partizan got off to an early start, taking a 6 - 2 lead, but the Belgians retorted. The game found itself at 14 points apiece. Dennis Donkor and Jonas Foerts had been the offensive juggernauts for Antwerp while it was yet another collective display by Partizan. 

The tightly bound game needed reprieve and it came through Ivan Popovich who had found his touch from behind the arc all tournament. His two proved to be the dagger as Partizan took a 2-point lead with seconds to go. Foerts pulled a bucket back, bringing the game 16-15 to the final possession with a second to go and Antwerp ball. It just wasn’t meant to be for the Belgians as Partizan secured the win in Manama, becoming the second team ever to go from Qualifying Draw, all the way to winning the Masters. 

Marko Stevanovic had been the heart of his side, grabbing crucial rebounds, and dishing in defensive stops while accruing some clutch buckets himself. He led his side in Player Value with 29.0 while also picking up 25 points. His showing earned him the MVP recognition for the event. 

In the Individual contests, Futian’s Thibaut Vervoort won the GFH Shoot-Out Contest, while Tony Crosby II won the Maurice Lacroix Dunk Contest. 

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Partizan (SRB)
2. Antwerp TOPDesk (BEL)
3. Hangzhou (CHN)
4. Marijampole Mantinga (LTU)
5. Amsterdam HiPRO (NED)
6. Vienna (AUT)
7. Futian (CHN)
8. Jeddah (KSA)
9. San Juan (PUR)
10. Ub Huishan NE (SRB)
11. Riffa (BRN)
12. Lausanne Sport LS (SUI)
13. Princeton (USA)
14. Alula (KSA)

The World Tour action makes its final stop before the World Tour Final as the Hong Kong Masters takes place on November 25 - 26. 

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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.