MOSCOW (3x3) - While the women's event saw a traditional ending with the USA defending their title won in Athens two years ago, Qatar's men shocked the 3x3 world by ousting the reigning World Champions Serbia in the final and winning the 2014 FIBA 3x3 World Championships on 8 June 2014 in Moscow, Russia.

"This is the first time Qatar wins a major international event. It never happened in football, in volleyball, in handball," Qatar's captain Yaseen Musa rejoiced.

"It is one the best moments of my career and it shows that there is an opportunity for smaller nations like Qatar to be successful."

Not only did Qatar bring the best basketball talents in the country - featuring Musa but also the intimidating Erfan Ali Saeed, rebounding machine Mohammed Seleem Abdulla and dribbling wizard Boney Watson - they also spent the last two years getting used to the game, a preparation that saw them climb from 3x3 FIBA Asia champion at home in 2013 to the world title this year.

In the final, Qatar locked the paint and held the attacking-minded Serbia to a tournament-low 13 points. Saeed wowed the Russian crowds with several world-class post moves and US-born Boney Watson relentlessly shook his defender, drove hard and finished at the rim. He topped all scorers with 8 points in the final.

The local fans erupted in the bronze medal match when Mihail Gunter took giant steps to the rim and gave Russia the lead with two seconds left to play. It was another crushing defeat for Lithuania who had lost in overtime against Qatar in the semi-finals just a few hours earlier.

Russian fans who had packed the bleachers of the outdoor arena or gathered in front of the big screen - for those who could not find a seat - got louder and louder as their women's national team stepped on the 3x3 court for a final against the USA.

But even playing 4x3, Maria Cherepanova's team-mates could not compete with their rivals' intensity. So much was said about the US team being one of the youngest in the tournament with an average age of 20, but Jewell Loyd & Co played suffocating defense, allowing just 8 points in the final. Loyd herself had 9 in the game, scoring in all possible ways and solidifying her place as top scorer of the competition.

On the podium, the WNBA star of tomorrow stood next to the former WNBA number one pick Ann Wauters, who brought Belgium to new heights, clinching the bronze medal against Czech Republic.

On top of the men’s and women’s tournaments, more medals were claimed in Moscow:
- Firas Lahyani (Tunisia) won gold in the Nike Dunk Contest after nailing several 360 dunks. Yan Pengfei (China) collected silver, while Demetrius Miller (USA) and Toni Vitali (Croatia) earned a bronze medal.
- Valentina Baldelli (Italy) was quicker than Hind Ben Abdelkader (Belgium) in the final strech of the Skills Contest, while Jewell Loyd (USA) and Fleur Devillers (France) had settle for bronze.
- After getting the highest score in qualification, Daniel Hure (Argentina) did it again in the final and claimed gold in the Samsung Shoot-Out. Sarah Kershaw earned a silver medal for Switzerland, while Yurena Diaz (Spain) and Christian Gunawan (Indonesia) both took bronze.
- 3x3 legend Angel Santana (Romania) earned a gold medal sporting a traditional Japanese headband in the Free-Throw Pursuit. Ann Wauters provided Belgium with a third medal (silver) and Amaya Gastaminza will go back to Spain with a bronze medal around her neck.

FIBA