BRASILIA (Brazil) - In-form Partizan's (SRB) revival continued after taking out the FIBA 3x3 Brasilia Challenger to win their second consecutive title.
Here is what happened in the 13th Challenger of the season on September 13-14.
The winner: Partizan (SRB) They were: No.1 points, shooting value and fewest points allowed
Partizan are well and truly back! After ending their form slump in style in Sansar the previous weekend, the spectacular Serbs continued the momentum with a commanding triumph in Brasilia.
They took their game to another level and completely dominated both sides of the ball in a major statement.
They won all five games by 5+ points and enjoyed an outstanding knockout phase, beating Spanish teams Barcelona (ESP) and Marbella (ESP) - who they crushed 21-9 in a lights out display - before defeating No.1 Amsterdam Rabobank (NED) in the final.
Stefan Milivojevic's struggles seem a long time ago now after he took home his second straight MVP. He went toe-to-toe with Worthy de Jong in the final to cap a stunning tournament but he had plenty of support with Stefan Torbica proving to be an effective second banana.
The runner-up: Amsterdam Rabobank (NED)
The Dutch Masters still only have the one title for 2025, but they absolutely remain one of the very best teams in the business. Mirroring their form through the year, Amsterdam were patchy at times, splitting their games on Day One after a big loss to Marbella.
But Amsterdam showed their experience and class in the knockouts with a pair of vintage victories against Riffa (BRN) and Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU). Superstar Worthy de Jong came up clutch against Riffa before the Dutchmen produced lockdown defense to stifle the lethal Lithuanians.
De Jong was unstoppable in the final against Partizan, but it was not enough as Amsterdam finished second for the fourth time this year. The red-hot form of de Jong, who was back to his very best, should provide a tonic for Amsterdam Rabobank as the final stretch of the season approaches.
The Final: Partizan 21-Amsterdam Rabobank 15
Both teams were gunning for a second season title, with Partizan highly confident having displayed stronger form through the tournament. But de Jong loomed as a thorn and he started in attack mode with the nifty layup through traffic.
His opposite number Milivojevic countered with a terrific dime to get Partizan on the scoreboard followed by his own slick layup. Torbica continued his scoring binge with a two piece that was countered by a red-hot de Jong as nothing separated the teams.
Torbica and Milivojevic went bang, bang at the midpoint as Partizan skipped out to a handy buffer that they never relinquished. De Jong tried his best to keep Amsterdam in the game, but even his game-high of 10 points proved not nearly enough.
Milivojevic fittingly sealed the title for Partizan with a two from the left side as Partizan's late season revival continued.
The reward: Three tickets to WT Shenzhen Partizan, Amsterdam Rabobank and Raudondvaris Hoptrans qualified for WT Shenzhen on October 4-5. Final Standings: 1. Partizan (SRB) 2. Amsterdam Rabobank (NED) 3. Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU) 4. Marbella (ESP) 5. Riffa (BRN) Top Scorers: 1. Stefan Milivojevic (Partizan, SRB) 39 pts 2. Worthy de Jong (Amsterdam Rabobank, NED) 37 pts 3. Stefan Torbica (Partizan, SRB) 31 pts 4. Aurelijus Pukelis (Raudondvaris Hoptrans, LTU) 29 pts 5. Bryan Alberts (Amsterdam Rabobank, NED) 27 pts Key Stats: - Superstar Worthy de Jong dropped 6 points, 5 rebounds and 8 highlights in Amsterdam Rabobank's semi-final victory over Raudondvaris Hoptrans. - Leandro Da Silva had a monster 9 points, 8 rebounds and 6 highlights for Sao Paulo DC (BRA) in the quarters against Raudondvaris Hoptrans. - Partizan's semi-final victory over Marbella lasted just 6'45" in playing time to be the shortest game of the tournament.
FIBA