REUNION (France) – Baskets Bonn (GER) captured the FIBA 3x3 La Réunion Challenger 2026 crown in dramatic fashion after Fabian Giessmann beat the buzzer to lift his side to a thrilling 21-20 victory over Antwerp (BEL) in the Final on July 12.
The German side once again proved why they are among the hottest teams on the Pro Circuit, claiming their second Challenger title of the season after previously triumphing in Manila and adding another piece of silverware following their World Tour Amsterdam triumph.
With Antwerp already pre-qualified for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne, the remaining tickets went to Baskets Bonn, Vienna (AUT) and Bordeaux (FRA), who all secured their places at the upcoming World Tour stop.
The Winner: Baskets Bonn (GER)
Baskets Bonn had to overcome plenty of adversity on their road to the title.
After opening the tournament with a convincing win over hosts La Réunion, the Germans suffered a setback against Hangzhou Jingwei (CHN) in pool play before bouncing back in emphatic fashion during the knockout rounds.
Fabian Giessmann was once again sensational, leading Bonn past Élancourt (FRA) in the Quarter-Finals before Miloš Jovanović inspired a dramatic Semi-Final victory over Vienna.
The Final belonged to Giessmann. The German star produced another stellar performance and then delivered the decisive blow, knocking down the game-winning basket at the buzzer to seal a memorable triumph.
Giessmann was deservedly named tournament MVP after leading all players in total player value (59.1), points (44), highlights (20), dunks (8) and blocks (5).
The Runner-up: Antwerp (BEL)
Antwerp endured a roller-coaster weekend but once again showcased their championship pedigree.
The Belgian side suffered an early upset defeat to Élancourt in pool play before bouncing back with victories over Lausanne (SUI) and Hangzhou Jingwei to reach the Semi-Finals.
Dennis Donkor continued his outstanding season, drilling the game-winning two-pointer against Bordeaux in the Semi-Finals before helping Antwerp erase a late deficit in the Final.
Despite falling just short of the title, Antwerp once again proved they remain one of the elite teams on the Pro Circuit.
The Final
The championship game delivered everything fans could have hoped for.
The teams were level at 10-all midway through the contest before Baskets Bonn appeared to seize control. A huge two-pointer from Lennart Schultz gave the Germans a 19-15 advantage and put them on the brink of victory.
But Antwerp refused to go quietly. Behind the brilliance of Donkor, the Belgians rallied all the way back and tied the contest at 20-all with a clutch two-piece.
Just when overtime seemed inevitable, Giessmann produced one final moment of magic, beating the buzzer to hand Baskets Bonn a dramatic 21-20 victory.
The Reward
Three eligible teams earned tickets to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Lausanne. Champions Baskets Bonn secured their place alongside Vienna and Bordeaux.
Final Standings:
1. Baskets Bonn (GER) - qualified to WT Lausanne 2. Antwerp (BEL) - already pre-qualified to WT Lausanne 3. Vienna (AUT) - qualified to WT Lausanne 4. Bordeaux (FRA) - qualified to WT Lausanne 5. Hangzhou Jingwei (CHN)
Top Scorers:
1. Fabian Giessmann (Baskets Bonn) - 44 pts 2. Dennis Donkor (Antwerp) - 37 pts 3. Antoine Eito (Bordeaux) - 30 pts 4. Nico Kaltenbrunner (Vienna) - 26 pts 5. Jonas Foerts (Antwerp) - 26 pts
FIBA