SUKHBAATAR (Mongolia) - After igniting their season at the WT Marseille, top ranked Ub (SRB) will arrive with trademark swagger as they eye more success at the FIBA 3x3 Sukhbaatar Challenger on May 31-June 1.
Let's preview the fifth Challenger of the season.
The Favorites
Put your hands up if you started doubting the GOATs? After an uncharacteristically slower start to the season, where they failed to reach the final at their first two Stops on the World Tour, Ub clicked into gear in Marseille and proved they have not lost any of their old magic.
Superstar Strahinja Stojacic was back to his brilliant best in an MVP performance and he's ready to continue his momentum.
Ub clinched the Marseille title after beating rival Amsterdam RABOBANK (NED) in the final. The Dutch Masters have endured plenty of heartbreak so far this season having finished runner-up on the World Tour three times and their task of breaking that curse will be made more difficult without superstar Worthy de Jong.
Dangerous Chinese teams Hangzhou (CHN) and Chongming (CHN) will meet in Pool C in what might be a preview of the final if they continue their red-hot form.
Both teams have made two semi-finals on the World Tour already and boast plenty of firepower with Chongming's Cameron Forte and Hangzhou's Aleksandar Lazic capable of bulldozing opponents standing in their way.
The Field
This is a particularly deep field with new sensation London (USA) set to unleash springy Justin Pierce, who is a dunking machine. Speaking of American entertainers and we just have to mention OGs NY Harlem, who boast Dominique Jones aka 'Disco Domo'. He can groove like he should be cast in Saturday Night Fever.
Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) will have the loud support of the locals with Anand Ariunbold set to be on target as the meanest 'Archer' on the planet, while Shinagawa CITY EXE (JPN) can cause a giant-killing run because they have record-holder Ryo Ozawa in their colors.
Pools Pool A: Ub (SRB), Shinagawa CITY EXE (JPN), Plunge (LTU) Pool B: Amsterdam RABOBANK (NED), NY Harlem (USA), Zavkhan (MGL) Pool C: Chongming (CHN), Hangzhou (CHN), QD Pool D: London (USA), Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL), QD What's at stake The top 3 teams in Sukhbaatar will qualify for the WT Edmonton on August 2-3 as part of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2025. How to watch The two-day extravaganza is on May 31-June 1 and you can follow it live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube pages.
FIBA