Serbia's men and Czech Republic's women win 2016 FIBA 3x3 World Championships

GUANGZHOU (FIBA 3x3 World Championships) - Serbia's men and Czech Republic's women struck gold in the third edition of the FIBA 3x3 World Championships in Guangzhou, China on 11-15 October 2016.

With Guangzhou's iconic skyline on the horizon, Serbia confirmed their domination of 3x3 basketball. After winning gold in Greece in 2012 and silver in Russia in 2014, Serbia returned to their winning ways in China after defeating USA 21-16 in the final.

The number one 3x3 player in the world Dusan Domovic Bulut and sharpshooter Dejan 'The Maestro' Majstorovic combined for 16 points in the title game while big man Marko Savic contributed 4 and defensive specialist Marko Zdero had 1.

It was the US team's first-ever loss in a 3x3 game after 28 consecutive wins. Stefhon Hannah had 6 points in the losing effort while Myke Henry added 5. Highlight machine Alfonzo McKinnie and Kavon 'Happy Feet' Lytch scored 3 and 2 points respectively.

Slovenia won bronze after defeating Spain in a 17-16 nail-biter. Their star player Gasper Ovnik represented the reigning European champions on the Team of the Tournament, together with MVP Bulut (Serbia) and scoring runner-up Henry (USA).

Interestingly, 11 of the 12 medallists at the World Championships will participate in the final of the professional 3x3 season – the FIBA 3x3 World Tour – in Abu Dhabi on 27-28 October.

In the women's category, Czech Republic went from beating the Cook Islands in overtime on Day 1 to the world title.

After defeating reigning champions USA in the semi-finals (21-18), the Czechs demolished Ukraine in the final (21-11).

The team featured 2016 FIBA 3x3 U18 European Championships MVP Sara Krumpholcova - who scored a game-high 8 points in the final - and two-time Olympian Michaela Uhrova, who was named MVP of the tournament.

Uhrova became the first-ever athlete to win the World Championships in basketball and 3x3.

She was joined on the team of the tournament by Linnae Harper (USA) and Ganna Zarytska (Ukraine).

USA were the only team to win a medal in both categories as the women defeated Spain (20-14) for bronze.

Nine more medals were handed out in the individual contests.

Alexandra Theodorean (Hungary) won the women’s skills contest while Marta Fodor (Romania) earned silver and Georgia Agnew (New Zealand) struck bronze.

Angel Santana (Romania) won the shoot-out contest on his last money ball. Paula Palomares (Spain) collected silver while Natalie Romeo (USA) got bronze.

The dunk contest competition was open to professional dunkers for the first time. One of them - Dmitry 'Smoove' Krivenko (Ukraine) – struck gold after wowing the Chinese crowd with his acrobatic jams. Alfonzo McKinnie brought USA their fourth medal of the week while Marco Favretto (Italy) collected bronze.

Final standings of the 2016 FIBA 3x3 World Championships

Men
1. Serbia
2. USA
3. Slovenia
4. Spain
5. Qatar
6. Netherlands
7. Hungary
8. Uruguay
9. Philippines
10. Russia
11. Japan
12. Indonesia
13. Andorra
14. Romania
15. Italy
16. Egypt
17.Turkey
18. China
19. New Zealand
20. Poland

Women
1. Czech Republic
2. Ukraine
3. USA
4. Spain
5. France
6. Hungary
7. Netherlands
8. Argentina
9. Italy
10. China
11. Australia
12. New Zealand
13. Poland
14. Romania
15. Chinese Taipei
16. Andorra
17. Indonesia
18. Macau
19. Japan
20. Cook Islands

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ABOUT FIBA 3x3
Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court.

It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefitted from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3x3 World Tour (www.fiba.basketball/3x3worldtour) and national-team world championships.

Nike is FIBA 3x3's Founding Partner.

FIBA 3x3 events are played on Sport Court's floors with Schelde backstops and benefit from Wilson's innovative and specially-made ball for 3x3. 

For further information about 3x3, visit fiba.com/3x3, FIBA3x3 accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube or contact 3x3@fiba.com.