DARKHAN (Mongolia) – Liman (SRB) captured the inaugural FIBA 3x3 Darkhan Challenger 2026 title after defeating DeQing (CHN) 21-14 in Sunday's Final at the Darkhan United Arena.
Powered by tournament MVP Stefan Milivojevic, Liman capped a flawless weekend by winning all five of their games to lift their first Challenger trophy of the 2026 season. While the Serbian side had already collected two FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2026 titles this year, Darkhan marked another milestone as they added the Challenger win to their growing list of achievements.
Alongside champions Liman, Finalists DeQing and third-placed Toronto (CAN) secured qualification for the upcoming FIBA 3x3 World Tour TBC.
The Winner
Liman looked every bit the tournament favorite from the opening day, comfortably topping Pool A after victories over Sansar M Bank (MGL), 21-15, and Marijampole MANTINGA (LTU), 16-14. Their balanced attack and trademark defensive intensity carried over into the knockout rounds, where they eliminated qualifier Liberec (CZE), 19-13, before producing one of the performances of the tournament in a commanding 22-12 Semi-Final victory over Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO).
The Serbian powerhouse completed the job in the championship game, once again showcasing why they have been among the most consistent teams on the Pro Circuit this season.
Milivojevic led the way throughout the tournament, earning MVP honors after finishing with a tournament-best 40.5 player value, while adding 31 points and 10 two-pointers. He was ably supported by Nemanja Zigon, who finished as the tournament's leading scorer with 33 points, including back-to-back standout performances on Day 2.
The Runner-up
DeQing (CHN) enjoyed an outstanding run to the Final after recovering from an opening-day defeat to Vienna. The Chinese side responded with victories over Zavkhan (MGL) to reach the Quarter-Finals before producing arguably the biggest upset of the tournament by knocking out home favorites Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL), 21-19, in a dramatic finish.
They continued their impressive form in the Semi-Finals, edging Toronto, 18-17, in another thriller. Guo Hanyu delivered three clutch two-pointers, while Zhang Dianliang controlled both ends of the floor as DeQing held off a late Toronto comeback to reach the championship game.
The Final
The titular game began as a defensive battle, with DeQing holding a narrow 3-2 advantage during the opening exchanges. Liman gradually settled into rhythm and moved ahead 8-7 midway through the contest before beginning to dictate the tempo.
A relentless defensive effort fueled the decisive run as Liman turned stops into easy baskets to open a 17-12 advantage with less than two minutes remaining. Milivojevic then buried a trademark two-pointer to extend the lead to seven, before Zigon sealed the win as Liman closed out a convincing 21-14 outcome.
The Reward
The tournament's top three finishers booked their places at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour TBC 2026 in November.
Champions Liman will be joined by DeQing and Toronto, who all produced outstanding weekends to secure their places on the sport's biggest stage.
Final Standings:
1. Liman (SRB) - qualified to WT TBC 2. DeQing (CHN) - qualified to WT TBC 3. Toronto (CAN) - qualified to WT TBC 4. Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) 5. Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)
Top Scorers:
1. Nemanja Zigon (Liman) - 33 pts 2. Stefan Milivojevic (Liman) - 31 pts 3. Dianliang Zhang (DeQing) - 30 pts 4. Hanyu Guo (DeQing) - 30 pts 5. Westher Molteni (Toronto) - 29 pts
What's Next
The inaugural FIBA 3x3 Darkhan Challenger lived up to expectations with two days of high-quality 3x3 action. Liman added another stop win to their outstanding 2026 campaign. DeQing enjoyed a solid weekend by reaching the Final. Toronto rounded out the podium to secure another FIBA 3x3 World Tour qualification spot.
With another Challenger title decided, Liman, DeQing and Toronto now turn their attention to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour TBC later this year. Meanwhile, the Challenger circuit continues next weekend with stops in Uenohara (Japan) and FISE Birmingham (USA) on August 8-9, where another group of contenders will battle for coveted World Tour qualification.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 World Tour throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official World Tour website, where you can find the latest news, team standings, player statistics and everything you need to follow the Race to the Final. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3x3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.
Want to learn more about 3x3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3x3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3x3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.
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