SHANGHAI, China (ChatnewsTV) – Bahrain’s Riffa achieved a historic milestone, securing their first-ever victory in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour after defeating France’s Paris 20-15 in the final of the 2024 Shanghai edition on Sunday. The win marks a dramatic turnaround for Riffa, who have gradually improved their form throughout the season, culminating in an undefeated campaign in this year’s ninth World Tour event.
Riffa’s cohesive teamwork and offensive prowess were on full display throughout the tournament. In the semi-final against top-seeded Ub Huishan NE (SRB), Jonas Foerts hit a clutch Maurice Lacroix Buzzer Beater to book Riffa’s spot in the final. Foerts continued his hot form, starting aggressively in the championship game. However, Paris’s Franck Seguela responded with deep shooting to keep the contest tight early.
Both teams exchanged highlights in a thrilling first half, with Thibaut Vervoort of Riffa stunning the crowd with a powerful put-back dunk. Midway through the game, Riffa took control, thanks to a crucial two-pointer from Foerts, giving them a 12-7 lead.
Despite a valiant effort from Paris, who recently won the Lausanne World Tour, Riffa held firm. MVP Dennis Donkor iced the game late with a decisive layup followed by two free throws, sealing the 20-15 victory.
“We believed in ourselves and trusted the process,” Donkor said after the win. “This has been a dream for our team, and we’re so happy to bring this title home.”
In the individual contests, Enis Murati of Vienna secured victory in the Maurice Lacroix Shoot-Out Contest, while Piotr “Grabo” Grabowski triumphed in the Maurice Lacroix Dunk Contest.
Final Standings:
Riffa (BRN)
Paris (FRA)
Ub Huishan NE (SRB)
Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL)
Lausanne (SUI)
Vienna (AUT)
Princeton (USA)
Liman (SRB)
Plunge (LTU)
Wuxi WenLv (CHN)
Belgrade (SRB)
Chongming (CHN)
Milano (ITA)
HK Central (HKG)
The FIBA 3×3 World Tour continues on October 1-2 in Wuxi, China.
