MANILA (Philippines) – The FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Manila 2026 delivered two days of intensity, drama and high-level basketball as several contenders continued to establish themselves early in the season. While the United States (USA) once again stood tallest, Manila also showed that the road to the Women’s Series Final could be deeper and more competitive than ever.
USA are setting the standard
It’s becoming harder and harder to ignore just how dominant USA have looked to start the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2026 season.
Fresh off their triumph in Chengdu, the Americans backed it up in Manila with another unbeaten run, capped by a thrilling overtime victory against Lithuania (LTU) in the Final. More importantly, they did it in convincing fashion for most of the tournament, overpowering opponents with elite athleticism, defensive pressure and relentless pace.
USA swept through the qualifying draw and pool stages before dismantling powerhouse Ulaanbaatar Amazons (MGL) 22-7 in the Quarter-Finals. Even dangerous dark horse Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) struggled to keep up with USA’s physicality in the semifinals.
The biggest sign of USA’s growth, however, may have come in the Final. Lithuania matched them blow-for-blow physically and tactically, yet USA still found a way to execute late under pressure.
With Mikaylah Williams emerging as one of the breakout stars of the season alongside Joyce Edwards and Sahara Williams, USA suddenly look like the team everyone else is chasing.
Mikaylah Williams is must-watch
Every stop seems to produce at least one player who completely captures the spotlight, and so far after the first two stops, that player has been Mikaylah Williams, who pocketed the MVP award in both Chengdu and Manila.
She was spectacular from start to finish in the Manila stop, averaging 7.4 points per game while leading the tournament in highlights per game and total player value. But the numbers only tell part of the story.
Williams repeatedly delivered in big moments, whether it was her scoring bursts against Germany (GER) and Neftchi SOCAR or her clutch game-winner in overtime of the final against Lithuania.
What makes her especially dangerous is how effortlessly she blends power, skill and confidence. She can score inside, create space off the dribble and completely change momentum with one play.
If USA continue their dominance this season and perhaps during the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2026 in Warsaw, Williams will likely remain right at the center of it.
Lithuania are legit
Lithuania may have fallen short in the Final, but they left Manila looking every bit like a future Women’s Series champion.
Their blend of toughness, experience and shooting gave opponents problems all weekend long. Of course, Kamile Nacickaite-van der Horst is one to watch for the rest of the season after she led all players in scoring (39 points total) during the Manila stop. She was outstanding throughout the tournament and consistently delivered in marquee games, including 10-point performances against both China (CHN) and Germany on Day 2.
Lithuania also showed they can impose themselves physically against elite teams. They nearly handed USA their first loss of the season and pushed the Final into overtime thanks to clutch late execution.
If Manila proved anything, it’s that Lithuania belong firmly in the championship conversation moving forward.
No underdogs
One of the biggest revelations of the tournament was Neftchi SOCAR.
The Azerbaijani side stunned Poland (POL) in pool play and then dominated Mongolia (MGL) in the Quarter-Finals before reaching the Semi-Finals. Their size, physicality and interior scoring consistently caused matchup problems.
Alexandra Mollenhauer and Brianna Fraser were particularly influential as Neftchi SOCAR emerged as arguably the toughest team USA faced before the Final.
This will not be a surprise team capable of one good run. Their performance in Manila established Neftchi SOCA as genuine contenders on the Women’s Series circuit.
China’s depth
China basketball continues to make steady progress on the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series. Both China and Beijing (CHN) reached the Quarter-Finals in Manila, with Beijing notably topping Pool A ahead of Ulaanbaatar Amazons. Zhang ZhiTing was especially impressive, dominating multiple games with her scoring and physical presence.
While neither Chinese team ultimately reached the Semi-Finals, their consistency and depth stood out across the weekend. As the season continues, China’s growing pool of competitive teams could become a major storyline this season.
Competition intensifying
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Manila is just how competitive every stop is becoming.
Traditional powers like USA and Lithuania remain elite, but challengers such as Neftchi SOCAR, Germany and China are making the competition increasingly unpredictable.
Even in the qualifying draw and pool stages, there were hardly any easy games. Mongolia battled through overtime to reach the Quarter-Finals, while host Philippines (PHI) showed flashes of promise against stronger opposition.
With the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Shanghai stop up next, momentum is beginning to build across the entire circuit. If Manila was any indication, the battle for FIBA 3x3 Women's Series supremacy is only getting started.
FIBA