FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup: Australia and New Zealand Claim Titles

Australia and New Zealand dominated the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, with both nations claiming championships in their respective categories. The tournament, held in Singapore from April 1 to April 5, 2026, concluded with the Australian women’s team securing their sixth title and the New Zealand men’s team winning their first.

The Australian women’s team, known as the Gangurrus, maintained an unbeaten run throughout the competition to cement their standing as the benchmark program in Asia. Their path to the gold medal included a decisive 18-9 victory over the Philippines in the final.

Australia Women’s Path to Gold

Despite the comfortable margin in the final, Australia faced a significant challenge in the Semi-Finals against China. The Gangurrus trailed late in the game and were in danger of elimination before Amy Atwell scored the game-winning basket to secure a 21-20 victory.

Individual honors were also awarded to the Australian squad. Kristy Wallace was named the Most Valuable Player of the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, a distinction earned during her 3×3 debut.

New Zealand’s Historic Men’s Title

The New Zealand men’s team achieved a historic milestone by winning their first FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup title. Their campaign was highlighted by a 21-16 Semi-Final victory over the defending champions, Australia, where Te Tuhi Lewis provided critical scoring from deep.

New Zealand carried that momentum into the final against the Republic of Korea. Utilizing disciplined offense and timely shot-making, they defeated the Koreans 21-15 to claim the championship. Te Tuhi Lewis was named the tournament MVP.

Breakthroughs and Podium Finishes

The 2026 tournament was marked by several historic achievements for other participating nations. The Philippines women’s team reached their first-ever FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup Final, led by Afril Bernardino and Kacey Dela Rosa. Their performance earned them a silver medal, marking the first time the program has reached the podium in this competition.

Similarly, the Republic of Korea men’s team advanced to their first final. Despite playing the Semi-Finals with a shortened rotation, they secured the silver medal, which signals a major step forward for their national program.

China remained a consistent force in the region, securing bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Tournament Logistics and Organization

The ninth edition of the continental championship took place at the OCBC Square in The Kallang, Singapore. The event was the result of a partnership between FIBA and Sport Singapore, which was extended on March 28, 2025, to promote the growth of 3×3 basketball within the local community.

The competition featured 22 teams. The preliminary round was organized into four pools:

• Pool A: Mongolia and Chinese Taipei
• Pool B: China and Australia
• Pool C: Japan and Singapore
• Pool D: New Zealand and Qatar

Additional teams competed in a qualifying draw, which included the Philippines, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Macau, Tonga, South Korea, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, Hong Kong, and India.