Antwerp Wins First-Ever Lion City Challenger 3x3 Basketball Tournament
The Belgian team beat Japan's Shibuya in the final, and Singapore plans to host many more big 3x3 events in the years ahead.
A Belgian basketball team called Antwerp won the first-ever Lion City Challenger tournament in Singapore on June 21. They defeated a Japanese team named Shibuya by a score of 21-14 in the final match. The event was held at *SCAPE and drew more than 1,000 fans over two days. Antwerp took home US$20,000 in prize money and earned a spot in a major world tournament in Switzerland.
Antwerp's best player, Dennis Donkor, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He said both teams were very tired by the time the final came around. Shibuya had played more games than Antwerp because they came through the qualifying rounds, which Donkor said worked in his team's favor. He felt proud of how Antwerp handled both the fatigue and the hot Singapore weather.
Antwerp had a strong run from the very start of the tournament. They won both of their pool-stage games on June 20, beating Singapore 21-12 and Bahrain's Seef team 21-20. On June 21, they kept winning, defeating American side Princeton 21-16 and Spain's Valencia Basket 22-19. Every win pushed them one step closer to the championship.
Singapore's national team had a tough tournament and finished at the bottom of their pool. They lost to Antwerp 21-12 and also fell 20-14 to Seef, missing out on the quarter-finals. Coach Lazar Rasic said his team let Antwerp score too freely early on. He pointed out that foul problems hurt their defense and said that is something the team must work on.
The good news for Singapore fans is that many more big 3x3 basketball events are coming. Sport Singapore announced that two FIBA 3x3 Challenger events and one FIBA 3x3 Women's Series event will be held in Singapore every year from 2026 to 2031. The FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup will also return to Singapore in 2028 for another four-year run. Basketball fans in Singapore have a lot to look forward to in the years ahead.
In 2027, Singapore will host 40 of the world's best 3x3 teams at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, and it will also be the first time Singapore's own team plays in that competition. Daryl Yeo of Sport Singapore said the national team has already shown it can compete at a high level, pointing to a silver medal at the 2025 SEA Games. FIBA managing director Alex Sanchez added that Singapore has a strong record as a host and that these events help players and fans alike. More details about upcoming August events will be shared soon.
"The weather was definitely a challenge, but I think we handled it well."
Comprehension quiz preview
1. What was the final score of the Lion City Challenger championship game?
2. Which prize did Antwerp earn by winning the tournament, besides the prize money?
3. Where will the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup be held in 2027 before returning to Singapore in 2028?