SINGAPORE - Netherlands U25 (NED) produced a dramatic late comeback to defeat Slovenia (SLO) 16-14 in overtime and claim their first FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 stop title of the season in Singapore. The Dutch side looked down and out after falling behind by five points in the Final, but a late rally forced overtime before Quinta van Schijndel delivered the game-winning 2-pointer to seal a breakthrough victory.
The Winner
After entering Singapore as the No. 7 seed, Netherlands U25 navigated a difficult Main Draw pool before powering through Brazil (BRA) in the Quarter-Finals and edging the top-seeded Ulaanbaatar Amazons (MGL) in the Semi-Finals. They then had to rally from a 12-7 deficit in the Final before completing the comeback in overtime.
That gave Netherlands U25 their first WS stop Final appearance of 2026 and more importantly, their first Women's Series stop win of the season. It was a fitting ending to a breakthrough tournament for the young Dutch squad.
The Runner-up
For their part, Slovenia came agonizingly close to their own breakthrough. After sweeping Pool A, Slovenia continued their run with convincing Quarter-Final and Semi-Final wins over Australia (AUS) and Beijing (CHN), respectively, to reach a Women's Series stop Final for the first time this season.
Eva Lisec led Slovenia past Australia 18-10 in the Quarter-Finals, while Tina Cvijanovič added eight points in a 22-13 Semi-Final victory over Beijing. Slovenia also showed their quality earlier in the tournament by handing top seed Ulaanbaatar Amazons a 21-16 defeat in pool play.
They appeared to be in control of the Final for long stretches, but Netherlands U25's late surge denied them the title. Slovenia settle for second place. It was their best result of the year so far -- not bad for a squad playing in their first FIBA 3x3 Women's series season.
The Final
The Slovenians started the Final on the front foot. They moved into an 8-4 lead midway through the game and maintained control, still holding a 12-7 advantage with less than three minutes remaining.
Netherlands U25 needed a response, and they found one. The Dutch side launched a 5-1 run to cut the deficit to 13-12 with around a minute remaining. Slovenia were still ahead, but the momentum had shifted.
Then van Schaik stepped up. The Netherlands U25 standout knocked down a 2-pointer to tie the game at 14-all with less than a minute remaining, sending the Final into overtime after neither team could find the decisive basket in regulation.
The extra period started with both teams struggling to convert.
That was until van Schijndel found her moment. With the game still tied, she launched a 2-pointer from deep and watched it fall through the net, giving Netherlands U25 a sweet 16-14 victory.
Road to the Final
The road to the Final featured plenty of drama, with top seed Ulaanbaatar Amazons and Beijing both falling just short. Ulaanbaatar bounced back from a 21-16 pool-stage loss to Slovenia by defeating Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) 19-15 in the Quarter-Finals, but their run ended in a tight 18-16 Semi-Final against Netherlands U25. The Amazons fought back from 6-2 down to tie the game at 10-all, but van Schaik's late 2-pointer proved decisive.
Beijing also reached the Semi-Finals after edging China (CHN) 18-16 in a tight all-Chinese Quarter-Final, with Zhang ZhiTing scoring seven points. Their run came to an end against Slovenia, who pulled away from an 8-4 early lead to win 22-13. Mitsubishi Electric and Australia also reached the Quarter-Finals, but fell to Ulaanbaatar and Slovenia, respectively.
The Reward
The Singapore title gives Netherlands U25 a major boost as the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series season moves deeper into its second half.
The Dutch side not only collected their first stop win of 2026 but also demonstrated their ability to overcome adversity against some of the field's top teams.
Their run included a win over No. 2 seed China, a dominant Quarter-Final victory over Brazil and a narrow Semi-Final triumph over No. 1 seed Ulaanbaatar Amazons before the dramatic Final comeback against Slovenia.
For Slovenia, the second-place finish marks their first Women's Series Final appearance of the season and proves that this squad has a bright future ahead.
Ulaanbaatar Amazons completed the podium in third after entering Singapore as the top seed.
MVP
Hennie van Schaik was named the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Singapore 2026 MVP after playing a central role throughout Netherlands U25's title run.
Van Schaik finished the stop with 27 total points, ranking second overall, while her 32 rebounds led the entire field. She also posted a 34.8 player value, ranking second among all players. The 22-year-old also led the field in double-fives (3) and total two-pointers made (7).
Final Standings
1. Netherlands U25 (NED) 2. Slovenia (SLO) 3. Ulaanbaatar Amazons (MGL) 4. Beijing (CHN) 5. Mitsubishi Electric (JPN) 6. Australia (AUS) 7. China (CHN) 8. Brazil (BRA) 9. Thailand (THA) 10. Singapore (SGP) 11. Lion City (SGP) 12. Mongolia (MGL) 13. Indonesia (INA) 14. Manila (PHI) 15. Vietnam (VIE) 16. Madagascar (MAD)
What's Next
The FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 moves straight on to Baku, Azerbaijan for the WS Sea Breeze stop on August 15-16. As always, numerous top women's 3x3 basketball teams will be back in action, with valuable Race to the Final points on the line as the march to the season-ending Project Redwings Shanghai Final continues.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official Women's Series 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.
FIBA