Rising St Pauli hunt elusive title at FIBA 3x3 Sansar Challenger 2024

SANSAR (Mongolia) - Excitement machine St Pauli (GER) will be hoping for a breakout party at the FIBA 3x3 Sansar Challenger 2024 on September 7-8. 

Let's take a closer look at the 15th Challenger of 2024.

The Favorites

It's time for a surprise, so we're going to throw caution to the wind and start with young guns St Pauli.

They're loaded and have got dunking machines Denzel Agyeman and Fabian Giessmann maturing before our eyes. 

St Pauli are building confidence having reached the semis at the Sukhbaatar Challenger, but face an early litmus test against top seed Partizan (SRB) led by superstar Stefan Milivojevic. 

No.2 seed Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU) have loaded up with Olympic hero Aurelijus Pukelis, who leads a star-studded Lithuanian line-up that includes slammer jammer Modestas Kumpys. 

No.3 seed Liman (SRB) have won a trio of Challenger titles this season and will face a Day One blockbuster against emerging Utrecht (NED), who made the semis at the Debrecen Masters. 

Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) will be hoping the support of the home crowd can help them snap a three-month title drought. Their hopes might just rest on Delgernyam Davaasambuu playing bully ball.  

The Field

Let's start with host Sansar (MGL), who are looking to lift from a form slump and to do that they'll need sniper Anand Ariunbold to go bang, bang from deep. 

Princeton (USA) probably should be in the group above because they've had a rock solid season with Austin Butler making the jump and forming a dynamic duo with superstar Henry Caruso. 

Dusseldorf LFDY (GER) are always a dark horse because Niklas Kropp can be the MVP every time he steps on the half-court. 

Pools

Pool A: Partizan Meta Force (SRB), Sansar (MGL), St Pauli (GER)
Pool B: Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU), Dusseldorf LFDY (GER), Zavkhan SAINSCORE (MGL)
Pool C: Liman (SRB), Utrecht (NED), QD
Pool D: Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy, Princeton (USA), QD

What's at stake

The top 3 teams in Sansar will qualify for the Abu Dhabi Masters on October 26-27, 2024, as part of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour.

How to watch

The two-day extravaganza is on September 7-8 and you can follow it live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube page.

FIBA