VMU Basketball Team Wins the Title of the World’s Best 3×3 Student Basketball Team
Last month, from 22 to 24 November, the FISU University World Cup 3×3 Basketball took place in Xiamen, China. The Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) team competed among the 12 best teams in the world, defending the title they won last year in Doha, Qatar.
The final cherry on the cake
This 3×3 basketball tournament marked the last appearance of the Lithuanian team this year, coached by Dainius Novickas, who is also a VMU student. Before heading to the tournament, Coach Novickas had stated that a victory in Xiamen would be “the cherry on the cake,” capping off a successful 2024.
And that is exactly what happened. The VMU players defeated representatives from the University of Nantes, France, by a score of 21:11, securing their position as the strongest student team in the world for the second year in a row.
According to Dainius Novickas, this success is also due to the excellent preparation at the VMU Sports Centre, which provides the best conditions.
A tough start and an easy final
Before the championship, Coach Novickas noted the high level and physicality of the tournament. This was evident during the group stage, where our University’s team, after intense battles, defeated teams from China and New Zealand with scores of 21:19, advancing directly into the top eight teams.
The path to the final was also challenging. In the quarterfinals, they defeated a strong team from the University of Valencia, Spain, with a score of 21:17, and in the emotionally charged semifinal, they beat the Mon-Altius Institute, Mongolia, by the same score
The final presented the most significant challenge – the University of Nantes, led by the highly promising Algerian, Zayd Yahiaoui. Nonetheless, VMU proved their championship mettle and secured the easiest win of the tournament.
Despite a strong start by the University of Nantes students, VMU quickly changed the course of the game and clinched an impressive 21:11 victory with three consecutive three-pointers in the final moments.
The champions include Nojus Lebskas, Gabrielius Čelka, Augustinas Mikštas, and Rokas Jocys. Coach: Dainius Novickas. Physical trainer: Algirdas Stuknys. Team manager: Vladas Juknevičius.
