04 November 2019 | in University World Cup 3x3, 3x3 Basketball
XIAMEN - With an excellent fifth edition of the FISU University World Cup - 3x3 in the books, it is time to look back at the four days of scintillating action and pick our top 10 moments. From buzzer beaters to wild pile-ups, it was all happening on the half-court of Huaqiao University in Xiamen. Here are some of our favourite moments...
Polytechnic Institute of Porto may have lost this game against ISEG Senegal, but Gustavo Teixeira was flying high... quite literally. It was decision day on 2 November, as teams were giving it their all to qualify for the knockouts and Gustavo came up with the move of the day.
Decision day is dunking day, right? ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 2, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/XGs9npHjjE
FISU commentator Ben Ibrahim was ever-popular with the athletes and FISU.TV audience alike. In his inimitable, excitable style, he kept everyone entertained throughout the tournament and gave his own nicknames to the players, like this one. For the record though, Ciaron Fitz-Gerald of Macquarie University is indeed, studying to be a doctor.
Dr. Fritz says the only cure to your 3x3 fever is buckets! ??????? @FIBA3x3 @3x3Hustle #UniHoops @BenIbrahim pic.twitter.com/IzxF9ZZsyq
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 1, 2019
Peking University bowed out in the women's quarterfinals, but Zhang Yi gave her teammates a boost by winning the shootout contest on Saturday, with eleven 2-pointers.
Zhang Yi (Peking University, CHN) wins the shootout final, hitting ???????????????????????????????????????????? two pointers.
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 2, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/2eZlXzu9hF
The first day of the event was off to a flier of a start with games like this one. ISEG Senegal pulled off a stunner over Mon-Altius PE Institute of Mongolia. With the score tied at 19-19, the game went into overtime and Momath Seck sealed the deal for the Institut Supérieur d'Entrepreneurship et de Gestion with a clean 2-pointer.
He just turned around for the overtime winner as if it was nothing. ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) October 31, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/pTrMSXR7mw
Fittingly enough, the same day that the Rugby World Cup final was being contested between England and South Africa, all hell was breaking loose on the courts of Xiamen. A lay-up gone wrong, then a pile up and nobody is able to get their hands on the ball... it was all happening in the game between Macquarie and Uganda Christian University. A comedy of errors.
3x3 gone wild. ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 2, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/DmBE6hAAvb
If this was André Ferros' reaction after winning the quarterfinal over University of Otago, it is easy to imagine how fired up he must have been for Paulista University's first-ever University World Cup final. No wonder they won.
Ferocious Ferros. ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 3, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/u9vnsYQG8I
The Slam Dunk contest on Saturday was surely one of the highlights of the event. Eromon Uadiale of Australia’s Macquarie University saved his best for last, keeping the suspense alive until the very end. Runner up Leandro Alvarez from the National University of La Matanza watched in good humour as Uadiale pulled out all the stops to receive three perfect 10s from the judges.
The Emon Mentality. ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 2, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/WJqPe50C9B
On the second day of competition, Camilla Neumann led University of Vienna in a neck-and-neck contest against defending champions Tsinghua University. With 4 seconds on the clock, Tsinghua had a slim 16-15 lead. It looked to be all over for Vienna, when Camilla pulled off a stunning buzzer beater and sent her teammates into ecstatic celebrations over the 17:16 scoreline.
CAMILLA CALLS GAME! ????????????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 1, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/LWsSneLHtT
It was time for sweet revenge for Tsinghua University of China just when it mattered most, as they beat University of Vienna comprehensively in the final. After having lost to the Austrians by a whisker in pool play, regular order was restored as the defending champions did not look like losing for even a moment in the title clash.
Tsinghua University – back-to-back champions! ????
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 3, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/tmpPMP1GQe
It was a first-ever title for Paulista University of Brazil who beat a feisty squad from University of Chile in the final. William Weihermann was on fire from beyond the arc, scoring a multitude of 2-pointers and taking his team to the top of the podium.
“Why not,” William Why-hermann said, and drained one two after another to seal Paulista University’s first University World Cup title. Just like that. ????? #UniHoops
— #UniHoops ???? (@FISU) November 3, 2019
???????????? Watch #UniHoops live on https://t.co/8XfcaBi162 from 31 October to 3 November! pic.twitter.com/bm3E7b8ILd