Wanbao 3x3 Pro Basketball Team Misses Out on Top 8 in World Tour Opener
Taipei Wanbao 3x3 professional basketball team competed in the FIBA 3x3 World Tour opening in Utsunomiya, Japan. Despite winning two qualifying games, they lost two matches in the main draw and failed to reach the quarter-finals.
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- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 20:42
- 🔍 Collected: April 25, 2026 at 21:01 (18 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 25, 2026 at 22:24 (1h 22m after Collected)
(Central News Agency reporter Li Jian-zhong, Taipei, 25th) The Taipei Wanbao 3x3 professional basketball team made its appearance today at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour opening in Utsunomiya, Japan. While they successfully navigated two qualifying matches, they unfortunately lost both games in the pool stage, missing out on the final 8.
Organized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the 'FIBA 3x3 World Tour' has featured Utsunomiya as its opening stop since 2022. Although their ranking was not high enough for direct entry, the Wanbao team was invited due to its active efforts in promoting 3x3 basketball, hoping to gain valuable experience.
The team consists of 3x3 experts Petar Ivanovic from Montenegro, Nikola Kovacevic from Serbia, and Leonardo Branquinho from Brazil, paired with Taiwan's top-ranked 3x3 player Wang Hsin-wei to compete against the world's best.
Wanbao defeated Japan's Hiratsuka team 20-16 in the qualifiers, followed by a 21-12 win over Tokyo Shinagawa, advancing to the main pool as the top of their group. However, in the pool stage, they faced powerhouses from Serbia and Lithuania. Despite leading early in both games, they ultimately suffered comeback losses.
Wang Hsin-wei said in a post-match interview, 'We will learn from our failures. I believe we can get better, and next time, we will definitely make it to the top 8!' He revealed that he had only practiced with his teammates for 3-4 days, and expressed confidence that they will improve as the season progresses and their practice time increases. (Editor: Xie Ya-zhu) 1150425
Organized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the 'FIBA 3x3 World Tour' has featured Utsunomiya as its opening stop since 2022. Although their ranking was not high enough for direct entry, the Wanbao team was invited due to its active efforts in promoting 3x3 basketball, hoping to gain valuable experience.
The team consists of 3x3 experts Petar Ivanovic from Montenegro, Nikola Kovacevic from Serbia, and Leonardo Branquinho from Brazil, paired with Taiwan's top-ranked 3x3 player Wang Hsin-wei to compete against the world's best.
Wanbao defeated Japan's Hiratsuka team 20-16 in the qualifiers, followed by a 21-12 win over Tokyo Shinagawa, advancing to the main pool as the top of their group. However, in the pool stage, they faced powerhouses from Serbia and Lithuania. Despite leading early in both games, they ultimately suffered comeback losses.
Wang Hsin-wei said in a post-match interview, 'We will learn from our failures. I believe we can get better, and next time, we will definitely make it to the top 8!' He revealed that he had only practiced with his teammates for 3-4 days, and expressed confidence that they will improve as the season progresses and their practice time increases. (Editor: Xie Ya-zhu) 1150425