Serbian powerhouses Ub and Liman have top billing at FIBA 3x3 World Tour Abu Dhabi Final 2022

6 Dec 2022

ABU DHABI (UAE)- This insane FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022 season comes down to the grand decider at the Abu Dhabi Final on December 10-11. 

The best 12 teams from the regular season will be fighting for the crown, so naturally the field is absolutely loaded.

As they've been basically the whole season, Ub (SRB) are the No.1 seed and headline Pool A featuring Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) and Princeton (USA).

They've got their A-Team together with glue guy Nemanja Barac back in the line-up as the Serbs aim to finish their dominant World Tour season on a high. Ub beat the Mongolians twice on the World Tour this season, including most recently at the Hong Kong Masters

Ub lost to Princeton in their first match of the World Tour season at the Utsunomiya Opener before gaining revenge in the final.

 

The Americans were runner-up at the World Tour Final 2019 as they look to win the event for the first time. 

Defending World Tour Final champs Liman (SRB) are the No.2 seed and pitted in Pool B alongside Vienna (AUT) and Omaha 3BALL (USA).

In their clash against the Austrians, Liman will do battle against their former star Stefan Stojacic, who has had a comeback for the ages this season and led Vienna to a memorable first ever Masters title with victory in Paris.

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While the rising Americans are starting to seriously challenge having made the semis in two of their last three Masters. 

Pool C will be highlighted by a re-match between Antwerp (BEL) and in-form Sakiai Gulbele (LTU), who won the regular season finale in Hong Kong. On their way to their first Masters title in three years, the lethal Lithuanians beat Antwerp in the semi-finals with a tight 17-15 victory. 

 

Sakiai also beat Antwerp in the quarters in Utrecht so they will be confident against the No.3 seed, who won the Debrecen Masters

No.11 seed Lausanne Sport (SUI) are the outsider in the group but these Swiss showmen can't be discounted having made the final at home in Lausanne mid-year. 

There's always a 'Group of Death' and in Abu Dhabi it just has to be Pool D with 3x3 superpower Riga (LAT) against Dutch Masters Amsterdam HiPRO (NED) and Utrecht (NED). 

The Latvians were on fire since the return of superstar Karlis Lasmanis, as they went on a 27-game winning streak before exiting in the quarters in Hong Kong.

They face early challenges in Abu Dhabi and will reprise their rivalry with Amsterdam having narrowly won a semi-final thriller at the Cebu Masters en route to the title. 

 

They'll have a swagger against Utrecht having beating them 21-6 in Riyadh but the newcomers can't be discounted if they find their best. Worthy de Jong has been a human highlight reel and we can't wait to see him matched up with Riga's superheroes Lasmanis and Nauris Miezis. 

The all-Dutch clash between Amsterdam and Utrecht will have bragging rights on the line but, more importantly, a victory will mean a step closer to the knockout stages in the biggest annual event on the World Tour.

FIBA