DEQING (China) – London finally climbed the summit of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, capturing their first-ever title with a gritty 21-18 win over Liman in the 3x3 World Tour Deqing 2025.
After a string of near-misses, London entered Deqing hungry for redemption. Their campaign started unevenly, splitting their pool games at 1-1, but they found their rhythm when the stakes rose. On Day 2, the eighth-seeded squad stunned higher-ranked opponents Chongming and Ub in succession to storm into the Final, where Serbian powerhouse Liman awaited.
In the Final, London came out firing behind the hot hands of Justin Pierce and Ryan Langborg, surging to a 10-4 lead early. But Liman, led by Dušan Popović and Nemanja Žigon, refused to fold and clawed back to within one, 19-18, in the closing moments. With ice in his veins, Pierce drew a foul and calmly sank the decisive free throws that sealed London’s maiden World Tour win—the lowest-seeded team to win it this season.
Pierce was unstoppable, finishing with 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 two-pointers in the Final. Marko Branković also chipped in 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 highlights, showcasing London’s balanced attack. Popović led Liman with 8 points in a valiant effort.
Pierce’s heroics earned him the Most Valuable Player award of the 3x3 World Tour Deqing. The American standout’s all-around brilliance capped off a stellar tournament run that cemented his status among the World Tour’s elite performers.
It was a weekend to remember for London in more ways than one. Evan Walshe added another trophy to the team’s haul by winning the Deqing Tourism and Sports Shootout Contest. Meanwhile, China’s Niu Bo Yang thrilled the crowd with jaw-dropping jams to capture the Guo Kong Group Dunk Contest title.
FINAL STANDINGS
1. London USA 2. Liman SRB 3. Ub SRB 4. Riffa BRN 5. Chongming CHN 6. Toulouse FRA 7. Partizan SRB 8. Marbella ESP 9. Shanghai CHN 10. Seef BRN 11. Vozdovac SRB 12. Baskets Bonn Telekom GER 13. Bayankhairhan MIG MGL 14. TsukLimana JPN
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour returns next week in Macau from October 18 to 19.
FIBA