HONGCHEON (Republic of Korea) – Vienna (AUT) captured their first FIBA 3x3 Pro Circuit win of the season in dramatic fashion, edging Cotai WOLFUNITED (MAC) 21-20 in the FIBA 3x3 Hongcheon Challenger 2026 Final on September 19. With the victory, Vienna secured tickets to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau 2026, joined on the road to Macau by Cotai WOLFUNITED and Taipei WanBao (TPE).
Vienna Prevail
Vienna navigated a demanding field to reach the Final, overcoming Liberec DEKSTONE (CZE) and Taipei WanBao in pool play before defeating top-ranked Ub (SRB) 21-13 in the Quarter-Finals. They then faced Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) in the Semi-Finals, where Vienna pulled away late to win 20-14 and book their place in the Final.
Quincy Diggs was instrumental throughout the tournament, combining scoring, rebounding and playmaking to help Vienna complete their run. His performance earned him the MVP award, with Diggs finishing the event with 49.5 total player value, two double-fives, six two-pointers, 10 drives and nine offensive rebounds.
Cotai Falls Short
Cotai WOLFUNITED played through the Qualifying Draw before advancing from a pool that included DeQing (CHN) and Cibona Ph.Classic. After eliminating Lausanne (SUI) 22-21 in an overtime Quarter-Final thriller, Cotai defeated Taipei WanBao 20-17 in the Semi-Finals to reach the Final. They pushed Vienna all the way but fell short.
Final Thriller
In the Final, Vienna established early control. They raced to an 8-4 lead before Cotai responded to level the game at 11-all midway through the contest. Neither side could create separation from there, with the score tied 15-15 with less than four minutes remaining. Toni Blazan's two-pointer gave Vienna a 20-17 cushion, but Cotai refused to go away. Stanislav Sharov responded with three straight points to bring the game level at 20-20.
With the title and Macau ticket on the line, veteran Nico Kaltenbrunner drove to the basket and converted the game-winning point to seal Vienna's 21-20 victory. Kaltenbrunner finished with nine points in the Final, while Sharov's tournament-leading 35 points helped Cotai secure second place and their tickets to WT Macau.
The Reward
The Hongcheon Challenger delivered three tickets to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Macau 2026. Vienna, Cotai WOLFUNITED and Taipei WanBao all earned qualification after finishing in the top three, adding another important chapter to their Pro Circuit 2026 campaigns. Taipei had been unbeaten through pool play and continued their impressive run by defeating Utsunomiya BREX.EXE (JPN) 21-15 in the Quarter-Finals before falling to Cotai in the Semi-Finals.
Final Standings
1. Vienna (AUT) - qualified to WT Macau 2. Cotai WOLFUNITED (MAC) - qualified to WT Macau 3. Taipei WanBao (TPE) - qualified to WT Macau 4. Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) 5. Lausanne (SUI)
Top Scorers
1. Stanislav Sharov (Cotai WOLFUNITED) - 35 pts 2. Nico Kaltenbrunner (Vienna) - 34 pts 3. Alexander Zuev (Cotai WOLFUNITED) - 33 pts 4. Roko Spaseski (Cibona Ph.Classic) - 31 pts 5. Petar Ivanovic (Taipei WanBao) - 30 pts
What's Next
Attention now shifts back to the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, with World Tour Deqing 2026 set for September 26-27. The Challenger circuit also returns on the same weekend, with the Mataró Challenger taking place in Spain.
For Vienna, Cotai WOLFUNITED and Taipei WanBao, the next stop is Macau, where their Hongcheon success will be put to the test against many of the world's leading 3x3 basketbal pro teams.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 World Tour throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official World Tour 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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