WUHAN (China) – Serbia men have completed a perfect pool phase at the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup 2026, going 4-0 in Pool A to secure their place in the Quarter-Finals and keep their pursuit of their first-ever U23 gold firmly on track.

Serbia opened their campaign with wins over Kazakhstan and Tonga on Day 1 before returning to action on Day 3 with victories over Germany and the Netherlands. They defeated Germany 21-13 before closing out Pool A with a 21-15 win over the Netherlands.

For Vuk Vukicevic, who was part of Serbia’s silver-medal team at last year’s U23 World Cup, the team’s success has come down to the connection between the four players.

“Chemistry is everything,” Vukicevic said. “Chemistry and mentality. This wins the World Cup.”

The Serbia star also pointed to the challenge of arriving in Wuhan just two days before the competition, with the team having to quickly adjust after their journey and continue preparing together.

“It was tough,” Vukicevic said after Serbia completed their pool sweep. “We just find the space, make more points, and that’s it.”

Vukicevic has been one of the key figures for Serbia throughout their campaign, but he was quick to shift the focus away from his individual contribution and toward the team.

“When you play for the Serbia flag, this is everything,” he said. “I just want to say thank you to my guys.”

Now, Serbia have their sights firmly set on the knockout rounds.

After falling to Lithuania in last year’s Final, Vukicevic knows exactly what his team wants to accomplish in Wuhan.

“We are focused to take this gold medal,” he said. “This is why we’re here… we will see what happens in the Quarter-Finals.”

Serbia will return to action on Day 5 for the knockout phase, with Vukicevic and his teammates now just two wins away from another U23 World Cup Final, and one step closer to the gold medal they came to Wuhan to chase.

Stay Connected

Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3×3 Cups tournaments throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official FIBA 3×3 website, where you can find the latest news, star players and everything you need to know. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3×3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.

Want to learn more about 3×3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3×3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3×3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.

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ANTWERP (Belgium) – Spain men arrived at the FIBA 3×3 Europe Cup Crelan 2026 with a renewed squad and something to prove after a disappointing FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 campaign. On Day 1 in Antwerp, they delivered the perfect response: two wins, including victories over Italy and the Netherlands.

For Diego De Blas, however, the results were only part of the story.

“Both games were very challenging, and that’s exactly what we expected coming into the tournament,” De Blas said. “We did a great job defensively in both matchups, which was key to getting the wins.”

Spain’s defense provided the platform for a pair of significant results against two established 3×3 basketball programs. Rather than relying on individual brilliance, the team leaned on their collective approach. That’s an important sign for a group that have undergone a period of renewal. That chemistry, of course, has not happened by accident.

“We have been practicing for this event together. We all know each other well, which helps create strong chemistry on the court,” De Blas said.

That familiarity was evident on Day 1 as Spain handled two demanding games and remained composed when the margins tightened. Their approach is deliberately straightforward: take each game as it comes and maintain the same level of preparation and intensity.

“Our approach is simple,” De Blas explained. “Take it game by game, stay focused and be ready to compete at our highest level every time we step onto the court.”

There is also a deeper motivation behind Spain’s campaign. The team entered Antwerp after the disappointment of the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 in Warsaw, where they were unable to defend the world title they won in 2025. For De Blas, that result provided motivation, but he explained that it was not a reason to abandon the process that brought Spain success in the first place.

“Of course it did,” he said when asked whether Warsaw provided extra motivation. “It’s always easier when everything is going your way, but the most important thing is to keep doing the same work regardless of the results.”

That mentality has seemingly carried into Antwerp. Spain’s new-look group have already shown they can compete with two of the tournament’s strongest teams, but De Blas is not looking beyond the next challenge. The objective remains to keep improving, stay committed to the process and bring their best game every time they step onto the court.

Day 1 could hardly have gone better. Now Spain have to prove it was only the beginning. They next face France in the Quarter-Finals.

Stay Connected

Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3×3 Cups tournaments throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official FIBA 3×3 website, where you can find the latest news, star players and everything you need to know. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3×3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.

Want to learn more about 3×3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3×3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3×3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.

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