BORDEAUX (France) - Spain (ESP) claimed their second FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2026 title after defeating hosts France (FRA) 13-12 in an overtime thriller at WS Bordeaux. Alba Prieto knocked down the game-winning step-back two-pointer in overtime to seal a dramatic victory, with Spain overcoming a spirited French effort to return to the top of the podium for the second time this season.
The Winner
Spain entered Bordeaux as the No. 6 seed but quickly showed they were capable of challenging the favorites. They opened their campaign with a narrow 18-16 win over Rapid Bucharest (ROU), before following it up with a 21-16 victory over Egypt (EGY) to sweep Pool C and advance directly to the Quarter-Finals.
There, Spain faced top-seeded Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) in a tense, low-scoring battle. Neither team was able to pull away, but Spain held their nerve to edge the Azerbaijanis 13-12 and book their place in the Semi-Finals.
The United States (USA) awaited in the last four, but Spain once again delivered when it mattered most. Gracia Alonso De Armiño led the way as Spain built a 14-10 advantage midway through the game before surviving a late American push to win 17-14.
That set up a Final against hosts France, and Spain produced another composed performance when the pressure was at its highest.
The Runner-up
France came into Bordeaux as the No. 4 seed and made the most of homecourt advantage, sweeping Pool D to advance to the Quarter-Finals.
The hosts opened with an 18-10 victory over Ireland (IRL), with Marie Milapie leading the way with eight points. France then defeated Beijing (CHN) 15-10, again with Milapie setting the tone as the hosts secured top spot in the pool.
France continued their run against France U25 (FRA) in the Quarter-Finals, with Laetitia Guapo leading the senior side to a 17-9 victory over their compatriots.
The Semi-Finals provided a much tighter test against Rapid Bucharest. Rapid raced into an early 8-5 lead, but France fought back to tie the game at 12-all before Guapo put the hosts ahead 15-12 with less than two minutes remaining. Rapid trimmed the deficit to two, but France held on to win 15-13 and reach the Final.
Their run ultimately ended in heartbreaking fashion, but the runner-up finish gives France a major boost after they entered Bordeaux still searching for their first Women’s Series title of the season.
The Final
The Final was a back-and-forth battle from the opening whistle, with neither Spain nor France able to establish lasting control.
France opened with a 6-4 lead and stretched the advantage to 9-6 midway through the game as Spain struggled to find its offensive rhythm. But Spain refused to let the hosts pull away, eventually drawing level at 10-all with less than three minutes remaining.
Spain then moved ahead 11-10 before Marie Mané tied the game at 11-all with under two minutes on the clock, sending the Final into overtime.
Guapo put France back in front 12-11 with the first score of the extra period, but Spain had the final answer. Prieto stepped up and buried the game-winning two-pointer to complete the 13-12 victory and send Spain to the top of the proverbial podium.
Road to the Final
For their part, Rapid Bucharest made a strong statement in the Quarter-Finals, bouncing back from their pool-stage loss to Spain to defeat Italy (ITA) 21-10. Martyna Petrenaite led Rapid with seven points as the third seeds advanced to the Semi-Finals.
The United States also impressed in the knockout rounds, defeating Beijing 21-14 in the Quarter-Finals behind a dominant performance from Mikayla Blakes. Blakes finished with 11 points, five rebounds and five highlights as the Americans marched into the last four.
Top-seeded Neftchi SOCAR, meanwhile, survived a difficult pool stage after losing their opener to Italy 18-16. The Azerbaijanis responded by defeating Chile (CHI) 21-17, but their Bordeaux campaign ultimately ended in the Quarter-Finals when Spain edged them in a defensive battle.
Italy were one of the surprise performers in Pool A. After stunning Neftchi SOCAR in their opener, they followed it up with a narrow 10-9 victory over Chile to sweep the group. Their run ended in the Quarter-Finals against Rapid Bucharest, but Caterina Gilli's performances helped Italy finish fifth overall.
The Reward
Spain's second Women’s Series title of the 2026 season provides another major boost as the decisive stretch of the Race to the Final continues. Their victory in Bordeaux follows their earlier triumph at WS Bucharest and puts them at 11th place in the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series 2026 standings heading toward the season-ending FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026.
France's runner-up finish also delivers valuable points in the race, while the United States and Rapid Bucharest complete the WS Bordeaux stop top four after both reaching the Semi-Finals.
MVP
Helena Oma was named the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series Bordeaux 2026 MVP after helping Spain capture their second title of the season.
Oma finished the tournament ranked No. 1 in player value with 37.7, while also leading the field in blocks with six. She added 21 highlights, the second-most in the tournament, as well as 11 key assists, another second-best mark.
Final Standings
1. Spain (ESP) 2. France (FRA) 3. United States (USA) 4. Rapid Bucharest (ROU) 5. Italy (ITA) 6. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE) 7. Beijing (CHN) 8. France U25 (FRA) 9. Chile (CHI) 10. Amsterdam (NED) 11. Egypt (EGY) 12. Ireland (IRL) 13. Paraguay (PAR) 14. Sweden (SWE) 15. Czechia (CZE) 16. Ukraine (UKR)
What's Next
The FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2026 now heads to Thailand for the WS Bangkok stop on August 22-23. Counting WS Bangkok, there are only three WS stops to go before the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026. As such, every stop carries added importance as teams continue to battle for valuable Race to the Final points. Only eight teams will qualify for the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026, making the remaining stops increasingly crucial for the leading contenders.
Spain have now added a second title to their 2026 campaign. The rest of the field will have little time to respond, with Bangkok coming next.
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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