Riga win FIBA 3x3 World Tour Cebu Masters 2022

CEBU (Philippines) - MVP Nauris Miezis hit clutch shots down the stretch as Riga (LAT) outlasted Antwerp (BEL)  21-19 in a thrilling final to claim the first-ever FIBA 3x3 World Tour Cebu Masters in the Philippines on October 2, 2022.

There was plenty of hype over the star-studded contest featuring the top two seeds and superstar Karlis Lasmanis made a fast start with a two-pointer to fuel the electric atmosphere in the absolutely packed Shopping Mall Seaside. Riga took control of the game and got some breathing room when sharpshooter Edgars Krumins hit from distance to give the Latvians a 14-9 edge. 

Antwerp stormed back on a 8-0 run to regain the lead, but Nauris Miezis came to the rescue. The 'Maze' scored big shots after big shots, including his team's last 7 points and finished the job on the free-throw line to give Riga their second Masters title of the season, after Montreal.

Miezis finished with a game-high 10 points to deservedly win the MVP after he finished second in player value (49) and equal top in points (40). 

After struggling in Utrecht, Antwerp bounced back but were unable to win their second Masters title after winning in Debrecen. 

In the individual contests, Antwerp (BEL) star Thibaut Vervoort took home the Chooks to Go shoot-out contest, while Polish high-flyer Piotr Grabowski won the  Dunk Contest by Chooks! 

FINAL STANDINGS
1. Riga (LAT)
2. Antwerp (BEL)
3.  Amsterdam HiPRO (NED)
4. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)
5. Utsunomiya BREX (JPN)
6. Saitama ALPHAS (JPN)
7. Omaha 3BALL (USA)
8. Lausanne Sport (SUI)
9. Jeddah (KSA)
10. Cebu Chooks (PHI)
11. Sansar MMC Energy (MGL)
12. Doha QSC (QAT)
13. Manila Chooks (PHI)
14. Ludhiana INBL (IND)

The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is back (October 7-8) with the Paris Masters. 

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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. Wilson is also the Apparel Partner, Maurice Lacroix the Official Timekeeper and Chooks-to-Go the Global Partner of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022.

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.

FIBA