AICHI-NAGOYA (Japan) – The 3×3 basketball tournaments at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 delivered historic firsts and strong performances, with Republic of Korea claiming their maiden men’s gold medal and hosts Japan taking the women’s title on September 25 at the Kinjō-futō Station Square.

The competition highlighted the continued growth of 3×3 basketball across the region, with experienced teams joined by emerging contenders and new faces making their mark on the Asian Games stage.

Republic of Korea win men’s gold

Republic of Korea secured their first-ever Asian Games gold medal in 3×3 basketball, completing an unbeaten run with a 6-0 record.

Running with the exact same roster that finished runners-up at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup 2026, Republic of Korea maintained their composure throughout the tournament before meeting Qatar in the gold medal game.

Qatar had reached the Final after overcoming Mongolia and Iran in the knockout stage, setting up a meeting between two teams that had impressed throughout the competition.

Republic of Korea controlled the Final from the outset, combining defensive intensity with efficient execution to claim a 19-10 victory and secure the gold medal.

Iran completed the men’s podium with the bronze medal, with Seyedmohammad Ghaftari, Sarem Jafari, Mohammadbasir Momeni and Mohammadmahdi Rahimi representing the third-placed team.

Men’s medalists

The result marked a first Asian Games 3×3 basketball title for Republic of Korea and capped an unbeaten tournament campaign.

Japan claim women’s gold

Hosts Japan delivered in front of the home crowd, defeating the Philippines 21-11 in the women’s gold medal game to claim the Asian Games title.

Japan’s attack was led by Yuki Hirashita, who scored nine points in the Final, and Sakura Horiuchi, who added eight, as the hosts maintained control throughout the gold medal game.

The Philippines women nevertheless secured a historic first-ever Asian Games 3×3 basketball silver medal.

Gilas Pilipinas Women was represented by Amyah Espanol, Kennan Ka, Maria Pasilang and FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 player Kacey Dela Rosa. They opened their campaign by sweeping Group C before defeating Singapore in the Quarter-Finals.

They then advanced to the Final with a 13-8 victory over Thailand in the Semi-Finals, before Japan ended their run in the gold medal game.

Republic of Korea completed the women’s podium, with Choi Ye-seul, Heo Yoo-jung, Kim Jeong-eun and Song Yun-ha taking bronze.

Women’s medalists

For Japan, the victory added a home-soil highlight to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. For the Philippines, the silver medal marked a significant move forward on the Asian Games 3×3 stage.

FIBA

The world’s best young 3×3 athletes will descend on the court in Wuhan, China, with Australia set to feature in both the men’s and women’s tournaments from September 15-19. 

But for the Gangurrus U23’s, this World Cup is more than just another international tournament. 

With Australia’s senior 3×3 programs continuing to establish themselves among the world’s best, the next generation now has its opportunity to make a statement of its own. 

The Gangurrus U23 men enter the tournament as the 19th seed, while the women sit 20th, placing both teams among the underdogs heading into the competition. 

Yet, with eight prospects eager for success the Gangurrus U23’s will be looking to defy the rankings and make a mark on the international stage. 

The men will face an immediate test, opening their campaign against 11th-seeded Poland before taking on sixth-seeded France later that day. 

Their pool campaign will then continue against 14th-seeded Kenya before a potentially decisive clash with third-seeded Algeria. 

With limited room for error, the squad featuring Griffin Biwer, Devan Craig, William Mahoney and Keegan Phillips will aim to put their underdog status to the test. 

Meanwhile, the U23 women face a similar daunting path. 

Tayla Brazel, Carla Pittman, Sophie Taylor and Catelyn Van Es will open their campaign against fifth-seeded Japan before taking on Kenya, 13th-seeded Slovenia and fourth-seeded United States. 

With the world’s best U23 3×3 players gathered in Wuhan, the tournament provides an opportunity for Australia’s U23’s to take the next step towards the senior international stage. 

3X3 Gangurrus U23 Men’s Squad
Griffin Biwer	William Mahoney
Devan Craig	Keegan Phillips
Coach: Shane McDonald
3×3 Gangurrus U23 Women’s Squad
Tayla Brazel	Sophie Taylor
Carla Pitman	Catelyn Van Es
Coach: Hannah Lowe

 

Schedule: Access the full FIBA 3X3 U23 World Cup Fixture here. 

 

Broadcast:  

Watch every game LIVE via the FIBA 3X3 YouTube channel here. 

TAKASAKI (Japan) – The FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series reaches its last stop before the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026, with a loaded 16-team field set to battle at the Takasaki Arena on August 29-30.

Canada (CAN) lead the way as the top seed, with Neftchi SOCAR (AZE), China (CHN) and Thailand (THA) completing a formidable top four. Australia (AUS), Mitsubishi Electric (JPN), Japan (JPN) and Netherlands U25 (NED) round out the automatically seeded Main Draw teams, setting up a weekend packed with star power and high stakes.

And with just one place in the Shanghai Final still up for grabs, the pressure could hardly be greater.

Mitsubishi Electric enter Takasaki knowing exactly what is required: a top-three finish will send them to Shanghai and complete the eight-team Final field. If they fall outside the top three, Germany (GER) will claim the last Shanghai Final berth instead.

Season-ending statement

Canada arrive as the top seeds and one of the biggest names in the field, with Paige Crozon once again leading the charge. The Canadians will not be able to defend their Women’s Series Final title in Shanghai after falling short of qualification, making Takasaki their final opportunity of the 2026 campaign to add another stop victory to their résumé.

Canada have already tasted success this season and will be hungry to finish on a high, but they will face a deep field from the very start. They are joined in Pool A by Netherlands U25 and Yanjing (CHN), with the latter bringing plenty of familiarity after appearing regularly on the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series circuit this season.

Elite firepower

Second seeds Neftchi SOCAR are another obvious contender, with Brianna Fraser among the players to watch in Takasaki. Fraser returned to the Women’s Series at the WS Sea Breeze after a lengthy break following the WS Shanghai stop in May. With Neftchi SOCAR already qualified for the Shanghai Final, the focus now shifts toward building the momentum needed for the season’s biggest stage. A win in Takasaki would provide exactly that.

Neftchi SOCAR face home sides Japan and Takasaki in Pool B, giving the Azerbaijani outfit a challenging but potentially rewarding path into the knockout rounds.

China’s familiar MVP

China are seeded third and will be looking to recapture the form that carried them to victory at WS Xiantao earlier this season. Li Wenxia was the driving force behind that triumph, earning tournament MVP honors after a dominant all-around performance. She has since been occupied with China’s FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League campaign, where she also helped the team claim a stop victory, but now returns to the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series stage with another chance to make an impact. China will open Pool C alongside Australia, with the third team coming from Qualifying Draw A.

Australia, meanwhile, arrive as the sixth seed and two-time FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series winners this season. Marena Whittle will be hoping to lead them to a third stop victory, which is a feat achieved by only one team so far in 2026 (Netherlands).

Mitsubishi Electric’s mission

No team here has more at stake than Mitsubishi Electric. The Japanese side came agonizingly close to winning WS Tokyo, where they finished runners-up to the Netherlands, and they again pushed deep last week in Bangkok, where they lost to Germany. Now, on home soil, they have one last chance to secure their place in Shanghai.

Fuyuko Takahashi will be central to that mission. One of Japan’s most dangerous offensive players, Takahashi has consistently shown an ability to shoulder the scoring load on the biggest stages. Mitsubishi face Thailand and the Qualifying Draw B winners in Pool D, meaning the local crowd could be treated to some fascinating battles before the knockout rounds even begin.

Momentum

Thailand are the fourth seeds and enter Takasaki fresh from an impressive run in Bangkok. Rattiyakorn Udomsuk was at the heart of that campaign, erupting for 16 points in Thailand’s Quarter-Finals victory over Australia. If she can carry that scoring touch into Takasaki, Thailand could be one of the most dangerous teams in the field. They will face Mitsubishi Electric and the winner of Qualifying Draw B in Pool D.

Intrigue

The Qualifying Draw promises plenty of intrigue as well. Mongolia (MGL), Japan U24 (JPN) and Singapore (SGP) contest Qualifying Draw A, while Poland (POL), New Zealand (NZL) and Vietnam (VIE) battle in Qualifying Draw B. The winners will join the Main Draw in Pools C and D respectively, ensuring that the path to the Quarter-Finals remains wide open.

Full Seedings List

1. Canada (CAN)
2. Neftchi SOCAR (AZE)
3. China (CHN)
4. Thailand (THA)
5. Mitsubishi Electric (JPN)
6. Australia (AUS)
7. Japan (JPN)
8. Netherlands U25 (NED)
9. Yanjing (CHN)
10. Mongolia (MGL)
11. Poland (POL)
12. New Zealand (NZL)
13. Japan U24 (JPN)
14. Singapore (SGP)
15. Takasaki (JPN)
16. Vietnam (VIE)

Pools

Qualifying Draw A: Mongolia (MGL), Japan U24 (JPN), Singapore (SGP)
Qualifying Draw B: Poland (POL), New Zealand (NZL), Vietnam (VIE)

Main Draw

Pool A: Canada (CAN), Netherlands U25 (NED), Yanjing (CHN)
Pool B: Neftchi SOCAR (AZE), Japan (JPN), Takasaki (JPN)
Pool C: China (CHN), Australia (AUS), QD A
Pool D: Thailand (THA), Mitsubishi Electric (JPN), QD B

Wide-open battle

With Canada’s Crozon, Neftchi SOCAR’s Fraser, China’s Li, Thailand’s Udomsuk, Mitsubishi Electric’s Takahashi and Australia’s Whittle among the names to watch, Takasaki has no shortage of star power.

That said, with FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final 2026 qualification hanging in the balance for a couple of teams and one last shot at Women’s Series glory for others, the biggest storyline may simply be this: there is absolutely no room for mistakes.

Stay connected

Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3×3 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 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.

FIBA