NOUMEA, SUD (New Caledonia) – Tonga has created a defining moment in Oceania 3×3 basketball, winning both the men’s and women’s titles at the FIBA 3×3 Nations League 2026 – Pacific and qualifying two national teams for the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.

The women were flawless across the entire campaign, not dropping a single game, while the men sealed their overall victory with only two losses on the final day in a gritty, high‑stakes finish that underlined their growth and composure.

This achievement continues Tonga’s rapid rise in the 3×3 format, following their strong performances at recent FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in Singapore. Earlier this year, the women’s team made history by advancing through to the main draw for the first time, a breakthrough that signalled their readiness to compete at a higher level and set the tone for their dominant Youth Nations League run.

Their momentum now carries into next month, where the Tonga women will represent the nation at the Commonwealth Games, marking another major milestone in the program’s evolution and visibility on the international stage.

“We’re proud of what our teams have been able to do across the campaign, especially to come away with both qualifying for the U23 World Cup, Tonga Basketball High Performance Director, Cahn Fitzgerald said. “But just as important is recognising the level of competition we faced. Every team brought intensity, physicality, and heart, which reflects the rapid growth of 3×3 across the Blue Pacific.

“We had to earn everything. Nothing came easy, and that’s what makes this result meaningful for us. The players were the embodiment of the Tonga Basketball creed: Tonga Mo’ui Li’oa (Life of Sacrifice; Always). They worked for this win – for each other, for their families, and most importantly, for the Kingdom of Tonga.”

With both teams now bound for the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup in China later this year, Tonga will take its place on one of the sport’s most important youth stages, carrying the confidence of a historic campaign and the belief that they belong among the world’s rising 3×3 nations.

Their qualification also contributes valuable points to the FIBA 3×3 Federation Ranking, a system that directly influences Olympic pathways. But the impact extends beyond Tonga. Every federation that competed in this year’s Youth Nations League, including Fiji, New Caledonia, and Solomon Islands, added meaningful ranking points that strengthen the regions collective position ahead of Los Angeles 2028.

The accumulation of points across multiple nations is critical for the region’s long‑term competitiveness, ensuring more Oceania teams remain in contention for future World Cups, Asia Cups, and ultimately Olympic qualification.

FIBA Executive Director – Oceania, Amanda Jenkins, said the progress across the region is the result of sustained commitment and opportunity.

“This year’s FIBA 3×3 Nations League – Pacific showed just how far Oceania National Federations have come in a short time. Every team contributed to the region’s ranking, every game mattered, and the level of play continues to rise.

This year’s event closed with clear signs of progress, highlighted by Tonga’s historic sweep and the steady improvement shown by every federation throughout the series.

With qualification now secured and the next phase of international events approaching, teams shift their focus to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup and the wider 3×3 calendar, carrying valuable ranking points and meaningful competitive experience into the months ahead.

California women’s basketball senior guard Lulu Twidale competed for Australia in this month’s FIBA 3×3 Youth Nation’s League and helped her team qualify for a spot in the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup and go undefeated over the course of the six-day tournament in the Asia West/Pacific region which took place in Singapore. The Australian national team, known as the Gangurrus, won all 18 games and even recorded the fastest victory of the tournament with its 21-0 win over Qatar in a record time of 4:44.
 
The competition was part of a larger group of regional tournaments that were scheduled across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific throughout the summer with each tournament’s winner qualifying for the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup in Hubei, China which will take place Sep. 15-19. The Asia West/Pacific region consisted of host Singapore, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Turkmenistan across six stops.
 
Twidale averaged 6.1 points per game and led the team in scoring in eight of the contests including the first three of the tournament. She scored at least eight points in six matches.
 
Twidale is coming off her best season as a Golden Bear in which she set programs records for both single-season and career 3-pointers and finished the season fifth in the nation for triples (101). Last season she posted three 30-point games and had career season highs in scoring (16.2), points (566), assists (128), 3-pointers, rebounds (138) and free throws made (109). Twidale enters the 2026-27 season ranked second in the NCAA for career 3-pointers among active players.
 
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Qatar to Compete in FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League 2026 – Asia West/Pacific in Singapore Monday

Singapore, August 23 (QNA) – Qatar’s men and women’s U23 3×3 basketball teams are intensively preparing for of the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League 2026 – Asia West/Pacific taking place in Singapore.

The Qatari men’s squad comprises Mohammed Ahmed, Abdulrahman Ashraf, Mubarak Jama, and Issa Radi, whereas the women’s squad features Dima Khalid, Sara Zayed, Dana Al Sayed, and Fatima Jamal.

Stop 4 on Monday will see both Qatari teams face Turkmenistan and Australia in Group B.

Team Qatar have produced positive results in the Youth Nations League over the past three days, gaining valuable international experience. (QNA)

NOUMEA, SUD (New Caledonia) – Tonga has created a defining moment in Oceania 3×3 basketball, winning both the men’s and women’s titles at the FIBA 3×3 Nations League 2026 – Pacific and qualifying two national teams for the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup for the first time in the country’s history.

The women were flawless across the entire campaign, not dropping a single game, while the men sealed their overall victory with only two losses on the final day in a gritty, high‑stakes finish that underlined their growth and composure.

This achievement continues Tonga’s rapid rise in the 3×3 format, following their strong performances at recent FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in Singapore. Earlier this year, the women’s team made history by advancing through to the main draw for the first time, a breakthrough that signalled their readiness to compete at a higher level and set the tone for their dominant Youth Nations League run.

Their momentum now carries into next month, where the Tonga women will represent the nation at the Commonwealth Games, marking another major milestone in the program’s evolution and visibility on the international stage.

“We’re proud of what our teams have been able to do across the campaign, especially to come away with both qualifying for the U23 World Cup, Tonga Basketball High Performance Director, Cahn Fitzgerald said. “But just as important is recognising the level of competition we faced. Every team brought intensity, physicality, and heart, which reflects the rapid growth of 3×3 across the Blue Pacific.

“We had to earn everything. Nothing came easy, and that’s what makes this result meaningful for us. The players were the embodiment of the Tonga Basketball creed: Tonga Mo’ui Li’oa (Life of Sacrifice; Always). They worked for this win – for each other, for their families, and most importantly, for the Kingdom of Tonga.”

With both teams now bound for the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup in China later this year, Tonga will take its place on one of the sport’s most important youth stages, carrying the confidence of a historic campaign and the belief that they belong among the world’s rising 3×3 nations.

Their qualification also contributes valuable points to the FIBA 3×3 Federation Ranking, a system that directly influences Olympic pathways. But the impact extends beyond Tonga. Every federation that competed in this year’s Youth Nations League, including Fiji, New Caledonia, and Solomon Islands, added meaningful ranking points that strengthen the regions collective position ahead of Los Angeles 2028.

The accumulation of points across multiple nations is critical for the region’s long‑term competitiveness, ensuring more Oceania teams remain in contention for future World Cups, Asia Cups, and ultimately Olympic qualification.

FIBA Executive Director – Oceania, Amanda Jenkins, said the progress across the region is the result of sustained commitment and opportunity.

“This year’s FIBA 3×3 Nations League – Pacific showed just how far Oceania National Federations have come in a short time. Every team contributed to the region’s ranking, every game mattered, and the level of play continues to rise.

This year’s event closed with clear signs of progress, highlighted by Tonga’s historic sweep and the steady improvement shown by every federation throughout the series.

With qualification now secured and the next phase of international events approaching, teams shift their focus to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup and the wider 3×3 calendar, carrying valuable ranking points and meaningful competitive experience into the months ahead.

Published August 21, 2026 1:19pm

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The Gilas Pilipinas U23 men’s and women’s teams ruled Stop 3 of the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League – Asia SEA, held in Malaysia on August 19.

The Philippine men’s team, composed of collegiate standouts Andrew Bongo, Doys Dungo, Rhyle Melencio, and Luis Pablo, swept all three of its games, defeating Vietnam, 21-9, Chinese Taipei, 21-13, and New Zealand, 21-19, in the final to claim the title.

The women’s team also swept the stop, beating Thailand, 21-9, New Zealand, 17-16, and Chinese Taipei, 17-14, in the final.

The women’s team is composed of Amyah Espanol, Kennan Ka, Jamanah Meniano, and Maria Victoria Pasilang.

In the first stop, the Philippine women’s team also ruled the tournament, while the men’s team placed third.

In Stop 2, the men’s team finished second.

The Philippines will return to action on Friday for the fourth stop, with two more stops happening this weekend.

—JKC, GMA News

Oakland’s Swartz to Play in FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference

June 17

Oakland Golden Grizzlies

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Basketball announced the 2026 USA 3×3 Men’s and Women’s Nations Leagues teams set to compete at the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference June 27-July 3 in Ñuñoa, Chile. Oakland sophomore transfer Brady Swartz will make his USA debut after being named to the men’s team on Wednesday.

The 6-7 guard came to Rochester after playing his freshman year at Western Michigan. With the Broncos, he started 17 games, totaling 192 points while averaging 7.7 points per game and 4.6 rebounds per game. He went 62-for-152 from the field, 29-for-85 from deep, and scored a season-high 20 points at Ohio State back in November.

Along with Swartz, the 2026 USA 3×3 Men’s Nations League roster includes NCAA athletes Hank Alvey, CJ Gunn, Kevair Kennedy, Pace Prosser, and Eric Dailey Jr.

The 2026 FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference North will feature six three-game tournaments over seven days. The competition will run in a ‘stops’ format, with multiple stops held over the course of the week-long event. Teams will accumulate points based on their performance in each stop. Team members can substitute as needed for each day’s four-person entry.

The FIBA 3×3 Nations League will be a qualification route to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup. Conference winners will qualify for the event, set for Sept. 15-19 in Wuhan, China. 

3×3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute clock and a 12-second shot clock. The first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner.

How to Follow Oakland Men’s Basketball: For complete information on Oakland Men’s Basketball, follow the team on X at @OaklandMBB and head coach Greg Kampe at @KampeOU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.

It’s the ‘Kuyas’ turn now.

A month after the Gilas Pilipinas Under-21 Boys clinched a spot in the FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup, it’s now the Under-23 team’s turn to make its mark as the Philippines competes in the Asia SEA Conference of the FIBA 3×3 Youth Nations League.

The tournament runs from August 17 to 23 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

The men’s team will field a stacked lineup headlined by La Salle stalwarts Luis Pablo and Doy Dungo, both members of the reigning UAAP 3×3 champions.

They will be joined by Ateneo’s Shawn Tuano and Andrew Bongo, whom they faced in the UAAP 3×3 final. Tuano and Bongo missed the Blue Eagles’ Pinoyliga Big Dance game against the Fatima Phoenix earlier in the day.

Rounding out the squad are former UE Red Warrior Wello Lingolingo and former Green Archer Rhyle Melencio.

Meanwhile, the Gilas Women are also looking to punch their ticket to the World Cup.

The women’s team is composed of FEU’s Amyah Espano and Victoria Pasilang, UP’s Kennan Ka and Marielle Vingno, and Adamson’s Jam Meniano.

Both Philippine teams will face New Zealand, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam in the conference.

COLLEGE PARK, MD — Maryland women’s basketball senior Nunu Agara will compete with USA Basketball in the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Nations League – Americas North event June 27-July 3 in Santiago, Chile. 

Agara and the US open play Saturday at 2:30 PM ET. Full schedule is below and linked here. Fans can also watch here. 

Sat, June 27

vs. Cayman Islands (2:30 PM ET)

vs. Puerto Rico (6:10 PM ET)

Final (8:20 PM ET)

Sun June 28

vs. Canada (3:20 PM ET)

vs. Argentina U21 (7:00 PM ET)

Final (8:00 PM ET)

Mon, June 29

vs. Cayman Islands (2:30 PM ET)

vs. Argentina U21 (6:10 PM ET)

Final (8:00 PM)

Tue, July 1

vs. Cayman Islands (2:30 PM ET)

vs. Puerto Rico (6:10 PM ET)

Final (8:00 PM ET)

Wed, July 2

vs. Canada (3:20 PM ET)

vs. Argentina U21 (7:00 PM ET)

Final (8:00 PM ET)

Thu, July 3

vs. Cayman Islands (2:30 PM ET)

vs. Argentina U21 (6:10 PM ET)

Final (8:00 PM)

The 2026 USA 3×3 Women’s Nations League Team features six NCAA Division I athletes, including Agara, Imari Berry, McKinna Brackens, Dani Carnegie, Katie Fiso and Tori McKinney.

 

Agara owns a gold medal from the 2022 FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup and competed in the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit. Fiso returns to FIBA 3×3 competition for the first time since winning a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA 3×3 U18 Women’s World Cup.

The 2026 FIBA 3×3 Nations League Americas Conference North will feature six three-game tournaments over seven days. The competition will run in a ‘stops’ format, with multiple stops held over the course of the weeklong event. Teams will accumulate points based on their performance in each stop. Team members can substitute as needed for each day’s four-person entry.

 

The FIBA 3×3 Nations League will be a qualification route to the 2026 FIBA 3×3 U23 World Cup. Conference winners will qualify for the event, set for Sept. 15-19 in Wuhan, China. China men and women will receive automatic qualification along with the reigning champions (Lithuania men and Netherlands women). The rest of the teams will come from the winners of each conference and the next teams in the FIBA 3×3 Nations League 2026 final standings.

 

The 2026 FIBA 3×3 Nations League will stream live on YouTube.com/FIBA3x3.

 

3×3 is played on a half court with a 10-minute clock and a 12-second shot clock. The first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation, is the winner.

 

-TERPS-