BAKU (Azerbaijan) - Latvia completed a ruthless unbeaten campaign at the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Baku Stop in a major statement to rivals.
Here's what happened on the fourth Stop played on May 26-27.
The winner: Latvia
Latvia entered unfancied as the No.6 seed, but made a mockery of that with a flawless performance to earn the dub. After a perfect Day One, highlighted by overcoming former World Cup winners Italy, the Latvians silenced the partisan home crowd to knock off host Azerbaijan with Ketija Vihmane firing from all spots on the half-court.
Vihmane's confidence continued as she combined with inside force Marta Miscenko as Latvia crushed Asian powerhouse China in the semis before a thrilling victory over top seed Netherlands to take out the title.
Latvia have long been a powerhouse in men's 3x3, but that has not translated onto the women's half-court. With young stars emerging, Latvia's women are starting to make their mark.
The runner-up: Netherlands
It was almost a third straight season title for Netherlands, whose perfect start to 2025 ended in heartbreak. But there was a lot to like about this women's force who had been relatively untested through to the final.
Their run included an impressive opener against host Azerbaijan and commanding knockout victories over Italy and Egypt. Superstars Janis Boonstra and Noortje Driessen proved why they are ranked among the very best in the world with brilliant all-round performances in another strong Stop for Netherlands.
The Final: Latvia 14-Netherlands 13
Netherlands entered as strong favorite as the No.1 seed aimed for a three-peat of titles to start the season. But they had all they could handle against a tough Latvian team seeking a first title.
Latvia showed no signs of nerves to race to a 5-1 lead before holding off an inevitable Netherlands comeback. The Dutchwomen struggled for buckets against the smothering Latvian defense until they were ignited by sharpshooter Ilse Kuijt to level the scores heading into the last three minutes.
It came down to the wire with Vihmane breaking the deadlock with a clutch two-piece before Boonstra held her nerve to sink two free throws. The title came down to the last play when Vihmane became the hero with a strong drive followed by the bank shot as time expired.
It was a fitting finish for MVP Vihmane, who outshone the Dutch superstars with a triple-five of 7 points, 5 rebounds and 5 highlights.
Final Standings: 1. Latvia 2. Netherlands 3. Egypt 4. China 5. Takasaki Next Stop: The W Series will journey to Vienna on June 12-14.
FIBA