ORLEANS (France) - Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) captured their first title of the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2026 after edging France (FRA) 21-20 in an exciting Final at Orléans on June 17.
Led by tournament MVP Alexandra Mollenhauer, Neftchi SOCAR completed a memorable run through the competition and overcame a red-hot French side that had emerged from the Qualifying Draw and stormed all the way to the championship game.
The Final
The title game delivered plenty of drama from start to finish.
Neftchi SOCAR looked in control early, racing to an 8-4 advantage behind the all-around brilliance of Mollenhauer and Arica Carter. France, however, responded with the same resilience that had defined their tournament, gradually chipping away before moving ahead 14-12 with less than four minutes remaining.
Neither side could create separation down the stretch as the lead changed hands repeatedly. Rosanne Le Seyec once again stepped up for France and tied the contest at 20-all with under 30 seconds left, setting up a thrilling finish.
With the championship on the line, Carter delivered the decisive moment, converting a difficult shot underneath the basket to seal a 21-20 victory and spark celebrations for the Azerbaijani squad.
Mollenhauer starred in the Final with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 6 key assists, while Carter hit the tournament-winning basket. Le Seyec continued her outstanding tournament for France with another influential performance in defeat.
Road To The Final
France continued their remarkable run from the Qualifying Draw, advancing to the championship game with a 20-17 comeback victory over Paris Région IDF (FRA) in the Quarter-Finals before defeating Italy (ITA) 19-15 in the Semi-Finals. Rosanne Le Seyec led the way with 8 points against Italy as France extended their unbeaten streak and secured a place in the Final.
Neftchi SOCAR's path to the title game included a dominant 20-14 Quarter-Final win over Spain (ESP), powered by Alexandra Mollenhauer's 13-point masterclass, before a composed 17-13 victory over Amsterdam (NED) in the Semi-Finals. Amsterdam reached the last four after dispatching Beijing (CHN) 22-14 behind another 10-point performance from Liselot Kulk, while Italy booked their Semi-Finals berth with a 14-10 win over Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) as Maria Miccoli starred with 10 points and 8 rebounds.
MVP
Alexandra Mollenhauer was named MVP after a dominant all-around performance throughout the tournament.
The Neftchi SOCAR star led the event in highlights (23), key assists (18), rebounds (29), double-fives (3) and triple-fives (2). She also ranked second in total two-pointers (7) and player value (39.7) while finishing third in total scoring with 30 points.
Final Standings
1. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) 2. France (FRA) 3. Amsterdam (NED) 4. Italy (ITA) 5. Spain (ESP) 6. Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) 7. Paris Région IDF (FRA) 8. Beijing (CHN) 9. Chile (CHI) 10. Uganda (UGA) 11. Ireland (IRL) 12. France U25 (FRA) 13. Prague (CZE) 14. Hungary (HUN) 15. Slovakia (SVK) 16. Puerto Rico (PUR)
The FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 continues on June 19-21 with the Amsterdam Women’s Series stop.
FIBA