WATCH:Lasmanis hits amazing buzzer-beater as Riga claims FIBA 3x3 World Tour Doha Masters 2020 crown
The FIBA 3x3 World Tour Doha Masters 2020 ended on a high-octane note on Saturday night at the Al Gharafa Sports Complex with Riga’s Karlis Lasmanis hitting an impossible buzzer-beater to earn his Latvian team the tournament's title on what was a fantastic night.
Riga won a hard-fought 21-20 victory over Serbia’s Liman in the final of the two-day event organized by the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF), and successfully defended the title they also won last year in Doha.
With the victory, the Latvian side claimed the $40,000 winners’ cash prize while Liman earned $30,000 for their efforts at the tournament which featured 14 teams from different parts of the world.
Qatar Living was the tournament's official sponsor and media partner.
Down 20-15 with less than three minutes to go, Riga, the third-ranked team, relentlessly bridged the gap until the 26-year-old Lasmanis hit the impossible buzzer-beater, off the dribble from way behind the arc, to help his team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to the surprise of the No.1-seed Liman, who were one of the tournament's favourite. Liman had won two of the last three Tours, dominating in Hungary with victories at the Debrecen and Europe Masters.
Aside from hitting the match-winning points, Lasmanis also netted a game-high 11 points in the final. It was, however, a team effort for Riga all weekend though as sharpshooter Edgars Krumins topped all scorers (34 points in 5 games) and the speedy Nauris Miezis received the MVP trophy after leading his team in key assists, rebounds and player value.
The two finalists went into the match with a 100 percent record having won all their games en route the final.
Riga had eviscerated Japan's Yoyogi and Saudi Arabia's Jeddah in the group stages before dispatching Germany's Bielefeld 21-7 in the quarter-finals and Lithuania's Utena 21-13 in the semis. Liman, on the other hand, defeated Qatar's Lusail and the Philippines Manila Chooks in their group matches before knocking out Switzerland's Lausanne 21-14 and Jeddah 20-15 in the quarters and semi-finals respectively to earn their ticket in the final.
HE Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al-Thani, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and President of FIBA - Asia, crowned the winners. Also in attendance at the event were the Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee HE Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, President of the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) Ahmed Al Muftah, and Director of 3x3 Events at FIBA Ignacio Sorrento.
HE Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al-Thani praised the tournament's high technical level, noting that Qatar has made many gains from organizing the world tour, foremost of which is the technical benefits and exposure which a global event of such nature brings.
“I’m mostly delighted with the international federation’s applause for Qatar for organizing such a successful event. I equally want to thank the organizers (the QBF) for their efforts at ensuring that the tournament was successfully held under a safe environment,” he said.
All the health and safety measures requested by the health authorities and the Guidelines for the Return to Basketball, developed by the FIBA Medical Advisory Group (MAG), which were successfully introduced for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour return in Debrecen, were strictly implemented at the tournament.
In the individual contests, Chris Staples (USA) won the $3000 winner’s prize of the McDonald’s Slam Dunk Contest. At the same time, former FIBA Basketball World Cup participant Kostas Vasileiadis of Qatar’s Lusail claimed the $500 prize for the Tissot shoot-out contest.
Riga and Liman will meet again at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on December 18-19, 2020.
In total, twelve teams will compete in the final: Riga (LAT), Liman (SRB), NY Harlem (USA), Novi Sad (SRB), Utena Uniclub (LTU), Jeddah (KSA), Lausanne Katapult (SUI), Piran (SLO), Sakiai Gulbele (LTU), Ub (SRB), Amsterdam (NED) and Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL), who become the first-ever Mongolian team ever to reach the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final.
DOHA MASTERS STANDINGS
1. Riga (LAT)
2. Liman (SRB)
3. Utena Uniclub (LTU)
4. Jeddah (KSA)
5. Princeton (USA)
6. Lausanne Katapult (SUI)
7. Bielefeld LFDY (GER)
8. Lusail (QAT)
9. Yoyogi Crayon.EXE (JPN)
10. Ub (SRB)
11. Manila Chooks TM (PHI)
12. NY Harlem (USA)
13. Riyadh (KSA)
14. Kamakura NatureMade (JPN)
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