Qatar Basketball

Doha Team champions in Beijing Masters 3x3

James clinches the final with a stirring two-pointer in overtime

Dominic James sank an exciting two-pointer in overtime and lifted Doha Team to a pulsating 22-20 victory in the 2015 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Beijing Masters final against Ljubljana (Slovenia) on Sunday.

The squad from the Qatari capital, featuring Yaseen Ismail Musa, Alban Tanguy, Sammy Monroe Jr and James, won the title in style, providing spectacular plays above the rim and beating the last two winners of the World Tour back-to-back events in the semis and the finals, respectively.

Doha top-scorer Monroe took the game over in the semi-finals against World Tour reigning champs Novi Sad Al Wahda (UAE), scoring 10 points, including an acrobatic game-winner. In the final, Ngombo bullied his way to a game-high 9 points. His teammate –diminutive James – wowed the crowd with his vertical leap and a game-winning 2-pointer off the glass in the extended play.

Ljubljana's 2015 addition Tomo Cajic found his groove in the final, netting 8 points, including three shots from behind the arc. Former number one 3x3 player in the world Blaz 'Birdman' Cresnar sent the game into overtime with a big dunk and 5 total points. Sharpshooter Jasmin Hercegovac added 4 and finished second in the scoring charts at the Beijing Masters with 38 total points.

The top scorer at the Wukesong Hi-Park, situated just outside the basketball venue of the 2008 Olympic Games and dedicated to the game, was none other than Chris Reaves (Team Wukesong). The speedy US-born player also topped all scorers in last year’s edition. He moreover took home MVP honours after leading his team to fourth place.

Number two 3x3 player in the world Dusan Domovic Bulut (Novi Sad Al Wahda) dominated the LaoShan Shoot-Out Contest.

In the Red Bull Dunk Contest, Canadian professional dunker Jordan 'Mission Impossible' Kilganon got the crowd to its feet with some jaw-dropping jams, including the ‘Scorpion Dunk’ which made him an Internet sensation.

Doha took home the $10,000 winning prize while Ljubljana won $4,000. Both teams qualified for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final, which will be hosted in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 15 and 16, where they join Novi Sad Al Wahda, Manila North (PHI), Kranj (SLO) and Kolobrzeg (POL).



FINAL

Doha QAT (3) 22-20 Ljubljana SLO (2)



SEMI-FINALs

Novi Sad Al Wahda UAE (1) 15-21 Doha QAT (3)

Ljubljana SLO (2) 21-14 Wukesong CHN (5)





QUARTER-FINALS

Novi Sad Al Wahda UAE (1) 21-11 Tokyo JPN (4)

Doha QAT (3) 22-6 New Taipei TPE (7)

Ljubljana SLO (2) 22-8 Beijing CHN (11)

Wukesong CHN (5) 21-14 Zheng Zhou CHN (8)



The final standings

1. Doha (QAT)

2. Ljubljana (SLO)

3. Novi Sad Al Wahda (UAE)

4. Wukesong (CHN)

5. Tokyo (JPN)

6. Zheng Zhou (CHN)

7. Beijing (CHN)

8. New Taipei (TPE)

9. Bangalore (IND)

10. Jinan (CHN)

11. Chandigarh (IND)

12. Jakarta (INA)