XI'AN (China) – DeQing (CHN) completed a sensational home-court triumph after defeating Phoenix (USA) 22-17 to win the FIBA 3x3 Xi’an Challenger 2026 on May 17.
Powered by MVP Zhang Dianliang and a balanced supporting cast, DeQing delivered clutch performance after clutch performance throughout the tournament to emerge victorious in one of the toughest FIBA 3x3 Challenger fields of the season.
Alongside champions DeQing, Phoenix and Skyliners (GER) secured qualification spots for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Amsterdam 2026.
The Winner: DeQing (CHN)
DeQing showed composure, firepower and resilience throughout the event, finishing their title run with statement wins over Barcelona (ESP), Phoenix, Xi’an (CHN) and Skyliners before overcoming Phoenix again in the Final.
Zhang was simply unstoppable in Xi’an, finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 38 points while also posting a competition-best 40.5 total player value.
DeQing faced one of their toughest tests in the Semi-Finals against a red-hot Skyliners side led by Stefan Kojic. After trailing 12-9 midway, DeQing rallied late behind Francis Lacis, who scored the team’s final three points to seal a dramatic 18-16 victory.
They carried that momentum into the championship game where Guo Hanyu exploded for 10 points and Zhang once again controlled the tempo on both ends.
The Runner-up: Phoenix (USA)
Phoenix impressed all weekend behind the dynamic scoring duo of Kyle Guy and Eric Demers.
After dominating the Qualifying Draw, Phoenix survived the Main Draw with a win over Barcelona before a narrow loss to DeQing.
Guy saved some of his best basketball for Day 2, dropping 10 points against Bordeaux (FRA) in the Quarter-Finals and another 10 in the Semi-Finals against Princeton (USA).
Phoenix pushed DeQing hard in the Final and cut the deficit to just two points midway through the contest, but the Chinese side proved too strong down the stretch.
The Final
The championship game delivered high-level shot-making and momentum swings from both teams.
DeQing came out aggressively and grabbed an early 8-3 lead before Phoenix rallied behind Guy and Malik Hluchoweckyj.
Phoenix trimmed the deficit to 16-14 late in the game, but DeQing responded with a decisive 3-0 run to regain full control. Guo and Lacis closed the door from there as DeQing sealed a 22-17 victory with two minutes left on the clock.
The Reward
The top three eligible teams earned tickets to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Amsterdam 2026.
Champions DeQing secured their place alongside Phoenix and Skyliners. Although Princeton finished third overall, qualification regulations allowed only one USA team to qualify outright from the Xi’an Challenger.
Final Standings:
1. DeQing (CHN) - qualified to WT Amsterdam 2. Phoenix (USA) - qualified to WT Amsterdam 3. Princeton (USA) - only one USA team can qualify outright from Xi'an Challenger 4. Skyliners (GER) - qualified to WT Amsterdam 5. Taipei WanBao (TPE)
Top Scorers:
1. Zhang Dianliang (DeQing) - 38 pts 2. Stefan Kojic (Skyliners) - 31 pts 3. Kyle Guy (Phoenix) - 33 pts 4. Eric Demers (Phoenix) - 31 pts 5. Justin Pierce (Princeton) - 28 pts
FIBA