MANILA (Philippines) - The FIBA 3x3's return to hoops crazy Philippines just had to be insane, with Lugano (SUI) stunning previously unbeatable Ub (SRB) to win the Manila Challenger 2025 in a major upset.
Here is what happened in the 14th Challenger of the season on September 20-21.
The winner: Lugano (SUI) They were: No.1 points & shooting value
Lugano are emerging with a late season run after claiming their second title of the season with one of the biggest upsets of 2025. The Swiss team boasted two dunking OGs - Westher Molteni and Bikramjit Gill - but it was scoring machine Mike Efevberha who took the No.6 seed to another level with an MVP performance.
Efevberha once again proved that he can trade buckets with anyone, finishing with a monster 43 points - 10 points clear of the next best. He was hot from the get go with a game-high 10 points against Chongming (CHN) and Lugano needed every one of them as they squeezed by 21-20 before silencing the loud fans with a comfortable 21-13 win over Manila Melmac (PHI).
They were in a dogfight against Hangzhou (CHN) in a tough quarter-final, finding it difficult to score. It was the only time Lugano did not reach the magical mark of 21, but their defense was strong enough to halt Hangzhou and win 20-17.
Lugano ended the dream run of Taipei WanBao (TPN) in the semis before playing the game of their lives against Ub to make a resounding statement.
The runner-up: Ub (SRB)
They were: No.1 Fewest points allowed
Ub fell within an inch of winning their fifth straight title on the pro circuit. Having won 7 of their past 8 events, the bitter taste of defeat was unusual for the GOAT who had never played better over a prolonged stretch.
After a month's break, Ub didn't miss a beat and were unbeaten on Day One before being tested by rising SG Marina Bay Jumpshot (SGP), who were on a roll having emerged from QD. GOAT Strahinja Stojacic came up huge in the clutch as Ub held on and 'Doctor Strange' went up a level with a monster semi-final against Skyliners (GER).
They fell agonizingly short of another title, but that should just make Ub even more determined moving forward. Stojacic was once again superb, but he lacked support on the offensive end although Ub's defense was stingy throughout to ensure another long campaign.
The Final: Lugano 21-Ub 19
Ub entered as red-hot favorite but they hadn't quite been at their absolute best in the tournament, opening the door for Lugano who had already tasted title success this season.
The Serbs were out to make a statement and a Stojacic two-piece gave them a 3-0 lead before you could blink. But Lugano were undaunted and their experience steadied them as Molteni and Efevberha went bang, bang to get back in the game.
The game then went into overdrive as Stojacic and Efevberha went toe-to-toe. Stojacic drove hard to the basket for the tough make, but Efervberha had the answers and he scored 4 quick points to give Lugano the lead.
Efervberha continued his scoring binge only for Marko Brankovic to hit two straight twos to tie the scores at 18 apiece. It was time for a hero to step up as the scores remained deadlocked at 19 and, fittingly, it was Efervberha who took matters into his own hands.
He shook off smothering defense from Stojacic to nail a cold blooded two on the left wing to deliver Ub the title and trigger celebrations from his teammates. Efervberha finished with 12 points in one of the performances of the season as Lugano took down the champs.
The reward: Three tickets to WT Macau Lugano, Ub and Taipei WanBao qualified for WT Macau on October 18-19. Final Standings: 1. Lugano (SUI) 2. Ub (SRB) 3. Taipei WanBao (TPE) 4. Skyliners (GER) 5. Chongming (CHN) Top Scorers: 1. Mike Efevberha (Lugano, SUI) 43 pts 2. Petar Ivanovic (Taipei WanBao, TPE) 33 pts 3. Dorde Simeunovic (Taipei WanBao, TPE) 31 pts 4. Strahinja Stojacic (Ub, SRB) 29 pts 5. Stefan Kojic (Skyliners, GER) 28 pts Key Stats: - Petar Ivanovic's terrific tournament was capped by a triple-five of 7 points, 6 rebounds and 6 highlights in Taipei WanBao's pool victory over SG Marina Bay Jumpshot. - Superstar Cameron Forte did all he could with a triple-five of 9 points, 6 rebounds and 6 highlights in Chongming's pool loss to Lugano. - Ub's Day One thrashing of Seef (BRN) lasted just 6'23" in playing time to be the shortest game of the tournament.
FIBA