BAKU (Azerbaijan) - The Netherlands (NED) continued their remarkable run through the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2026 season, defeating Madrid (ESP) 13-8 in the Final to claim the WS Sea Breeze stop title and their fourth consecutive Women’s Series stop win. The Dutch's unbeaten run further strengthened their position as the team to beat with the Project Redwings Shanghai Final fast approaching.
The Winner
The Netherlands entered WS Sea Breeze as the top seed and left with another diadem. They wasted little time showing why they were the team to beat, cruising past Warsaw (POL) 18-10 before dismantling Czechia (CZE) 21-3 in the Pool A phase. They then carried that momentum into the knockout rounds, defeating Egypt (EGY) 17-10 in the Quarter-Finals before taking down Austria (AUT) 15-10 in the Semi-Finals.
That set up a Final against Madrid, but the Netherlands once again proved too strong. With Ilse Kuijt leading the way, the Dutch controlled the game from start to finish and eventually pulled away for a 13-8 victory. The triumph marked their fifth Women's Series title of 2026 and, even more impressively, their fourth in a row. The Netherlands rise to second overall in the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 standings, and they appear firmly in control of the late-season race.
The Runner-up
Despite losing in the Final , Madrid still produced one of the tournament's biggest stories. The fifth seeds opened with an 8-13 loss to Austria, leaving them needing to respond quickly in their second Pool D game. They did exactly that, defeating Paraguay (PAR) 17-7 to advance to the Quarter-Finals.
Madrid then delivered one of the biggest upsets of the tournament. Facing host side Neftchi SOCAR (AZE), Madrid battled through a tight Quarter-Final that went into overtime before Juana Camilion knocked down the game-winning two-pointer to seal a dramatic 14-12 victory.
They carried that momentum into the Semi-Finals, racing out to a 6-1 lead against Czechia and eventually pulling away for an 18-13 win. The run finally came to an end against the Netherlands, but Madrid's second-place finish underlined their credentials as one of the most dangerous teams on the circuit. This was their best result since winning WS Vienna back in June.
The Final
The championship game was a low-scoring battle, but the Netherlands' defense enabled them to control the scoreboard throughout. The Dutch opened with a 4-1 lead before extending the advantage to 7-2 midway through the game. Both teams struggled to find their shooting rhythm, but the Netherlands remained composed and continued to protect their lead.
Madrid stayed within striking distance at 9-5 with less than two minutes remaining, but the Dutch found another gear down the stretch. They extended their advantage to 12-5 with just over a minute left and never allowed Madrid back into the contest, eventually closing out the 13-8 victory. Kuijt led the Netherlands with six points in the Final.
Road to the Final
Austria continued their quietly impressive 2026 campaign by sweeping Pool D, edging Paraguay 20-19 before defeating Madrid 13-8, then taking down Arrasate Ointxe (ESP) 18-13 in the Quarter-Finals behind six points from Sigrid Koizar. They pushed the Netherlands in the Semi-Finals, recovering from a 10-2 deficit to cut it to 10-7 before the eventual champions pulled away for a 15-10 win.
Czechia, meanwhile, delivered one of the tournament's biggest comebacks, rallying from 11-15 down to defeat Warsaw (POL) 16-15 in pool play after scoring the last five points of the game. Kateřina Galíčková then knocked down three two-pointers to lead Czechia past previously unbeaten Latvia (LAT) 16-10 in the Quarter-Finals, but their run ended in the Semi-Finals against Madrid.
Hosts Neftchi SOCAR also impressed by sweeping Pool B before suffering a dramatic 14-12 overtime Quarter-Final loss to Madrid. As good as they have been this year, Neftchi SOCAR just haven't enjoyed much success on homecourt, finishing fifth in WS Baku, WS Sumgait and here at WS Sea Breeze.
The Reward
The Netherlands' fifth Women's Series title of the season adds another significant boost to their campaign as the race for the season-ending Project Redwings Shanghai Final enters the deep waters. More importantly, their fourth consecutive stop victory confirms their incredible consistency at the business end of the 2026 season.
Madrid's runner-up finish also provides a valuable boost, while Austria and Czechia complete the top four spots after both reaching the Semi-Finals.
MVP
Ilse Kuijt was named the Women's Series Sea Breeze 2026 MVP after another standout performance for the Netherlands. Kuijt finished the tournament ranked No. 1 in player value with 31.2, while also leading the field in total points with 25 and highlights with 18. She added 10 key assists and 7 two-pointers made, with both marks second-most in the tournament.
Final Standings
1. Netherlands (NED) 2. Madrid (ESP) 3. Austria (AUT) 4. Czechia (CZE) 5. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) 6. Latvia (LAT) 7. Arrasate Ointxe (ESP) 8. Egypt (EGY) 9. Paraguay (PAR) 10. Warsaw (POL) 11. Yanjing (CHN) 12. Germany (GER) 13. Poland (POL) 14. Ukraine (UKR) 15. Azerbaijan (AZE) 16. Benin (BEN)
What's Next
The FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 now heads to France for the WS Bordeaux stop on August 19-20.
With the Project Redwings Shanghai Final drawing closer and only four WS stops remaining before then, every stop carries added importance as teams continue to battle for valuable Race to the Final points. Only eight teams will make it to the Shanghai Final.
The Netherlands have set the standard with five WS stop titles overall. Now, the rest of the field will have another opportunity in Bordeaux to make their own mark.
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.
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