Raiffeisen Bank Bucharest 3x3 Challenger Preview: all the champions are here

BUCHAREST (3x3 Challenger) - The Raiffeisen Bank Bucharest 3x3 Challenger, organized by Sport Arena, will bring together the World Champs, the European Champs and the FIBA 3x3 World Tour reigning champs in Bucharest, Romania on August 12-13.

The number one 3x3 team in the world Novi Sad Al Wahda (UAE) - whose 4 players have won the FIBA 3x3 World Cup for the 3rd time on June 17-21 - are back in Bucharest to defend their crown.

Last year, their victims in the final were Ljubljana (SLO), who later that season ended up winning the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and are seeking revenge this year.

The European Champs are here too. The 4 players who brought Latvia their first-ever 3x3 title are now shining on the 3x3 professional tour, under the name Riga Ghetto Basket. Just 2 weeks after winning the Moscow Open 3x3 Challenger and therefore clinching their spot at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Debrecen Masters, they’re now in Bucharest to chase one of the two tickets for the Lausanne Masters.

With Zemun Master (SRB) also in the mix, this means the Bucharest Challenger will feature the top 3 teams in the FIBA 3x3 Team Ranking. In total, 5 teams in the Top 20 will compete on the iconic University Squatre this weekend, if you include Amsterdam (NED, 10) and Riga Ghetto Basket (19).

Novi Sad Al Wahda have already qualified for the Lausanne Masters after winning the The Hague Challenger. In other words, if they reach the final again in Bucharest, the team ranked third will be in Lausanne on August 25-26.

The 16 participating teams will also be chasing 10,000 USD in prize money.

For more information about the challenger and the participating teams, go to the Sport Arena website.

FIBA