Poland's men and France's women win FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2022 in heartbreaking fashion

9 Oct 2022

BUCHAREST (Romania) - Poland (men) and France (women) won a thrilling FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2022, which took place inside the iconic Bucharest Metropolitan Circus on October 5-9.

The men's final was an absolute game-of-the-year candidate. Down 20-15 against Serbia, Poland finished on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a cold-blooded two-pointer, courtesy of MVP Mateusz Szlachetka.

The 6ft 5in. (1.97m) sharpshooter had a team-high 8 points in the final and finished second overall in scoring in the men's category (53 points in 7 games). He was joined on the Team of the Tournament by men's top scorer Lorenzo Thirouard-Samson, who guided France to a bronze-medal finish in Romania, and Serbia's leading scorer Nikola Kovacevic.

Just three weeks after winning the FIBA 3x3 Nations League, France's women completed the double in the U23 category after beating USA in a nail-biting final (21-18). The 5ft 10in, (1.79m) dragster Anna Ngo Ndjock was unstoppable in that game. She scored 14 points, including 4 two-pointers and a tough drive and lefty lay-up for the win.

The French rising star starred on the Team of the Tournament, alongside tournament top scorer, US prodigy Lexie Hull (who had 63 points in 7 games), and Julia Jorritsma, who led the Netherlands to bronze in another nail-biter, against China (21-18).

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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 benefited from the launch of a yearly professional circuit for men and women (World Tour and Women’s Series respectively) and national-team competitions.

3x3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

FIBA 3x3 events are played on Enlio floors with Wilson balls, Schelde backstops, Bodet shot-clocks and the Magic Sky canopy system.

For further information about 3x3, visit fiba3x3.basketball, FIBA 3x3 accounts on DouyinFacebookInstagramSina WeiboTencentTikTokTwitchTwitterYouku and YouTube or contact 3x3@fiba.basketball.