Road to Manila

London 3x3 look to build on a promising opening outing in Shibuya.

London 3x3 enter the Manila Challenger as the eighth seed in a field packed with elite talent. Three weeks on from their opening appearance in Japan, the all-British squad remains unchanged and has benefited from another training camp as they prepare for a demanding schedule in Manila.

Their first test comes against Liman, the early leaders of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour standings. The Serbian side made two key additions during the offseason, moves that have already paid dividends with first and second place finishes in Utsunomiya and Chengdu respectively. For this new-look London team, now with valuable experience under their belt, it presents the perfect opportunity to measure themselves against the side that has set the benchmark early in the season.

London will then face Singapore, who, unlike Liman, arrive as a more unpredictable opponent. Featuring a young roster without the same physical presence as either London or Liman, Singapore bring a completely different challenge. The contrast between London’s two pool games could hardly be greater, and the all-British side will need to adapt quickly to a very different style of play.

Elsewhere in the draw, Skyliners and Shanghai enter as the second and third seeds, while Toronto, the well-drilled side London defeated in Shibuya, come in fifth. Fuengirola, seeded ninth, also appear dangerously underrated and could prove a difficult matchup for anyone in the competition.

London will be aiming to make an immediate statement in Manila, throwing everything they have at Liman in the hope of sending a message to the rest of the field. A top three finish would secure London 3x3 their first Masters qualification of the season, with a place at the Vienna Masters on the line.