Shinagawa City.EXE Claim First FIBA Challenger Title of 2025

Fresh off their strong showing in the 3×3.EXE Super Premier Final, Shinagawa City.EXE—formerly known as Alphas.EXE—have launched their FIBA 2025 World Tour campaign with authority, capturing the title at the Baoding Challenger in China.

As the first official event of the 2025 FIBA 3×3 season, Baoding featured a high-profile lineup including reigning World Tour champions Amsterdam, American powerhouse Miami, Serbian stalwarts Liman, and host favourites Chongming. A spot at the prestigious Marseille Masters in France was on the line—and Shinagawa City.EXE made the most of it.

A Statement Opening

The tournament marked the debut of Serbian forward Dušan Samardžić with Shinagawa, and he wasted no time making his presence felt. Against Qinhuangdao.EXE, Samardžić dominated with 8 points and 4 rebounds, including a pair of deep two-pointers that blew the game wide open. Shinagawa cruised to a 21–11 win.

Their second pool matchup was a true test—taking on defending World Tour champions Amsterdam. Holding a 12–10 lead with three minutes to play, Shinagawa looked poised for a statement win. But foul trouble proved costly. Amsterdam capitalized with four straight free throws, and their defense stifled Shinagawa in the final stretch. Despite a late triple from Samardžić to close the gap, a clutch two-pointer from Bryan Alberts sealed a narrow 18–16 win for Amsterdam. Shinagawa advanced to the knockout rounds as the second seed in their group.

Day Two: Building Momentum

In the quarterfinal, Shinagawa faced Dutch side Utrecht, led by Olympic gold medallist Dimeo van der Horst. It was a back-and-forth affair, with standout performances from Hayate Suzuki (8 points, 3 rebounds) and Jan Demsar (7 points, 5 rebounds). The duo’s synergy—and a game-saving double team on van der Horst—forced overtime. There, it was all Shinagawa. Demsar delivered a tough layup before veteran Ryo Ozawa coolly hit the game-winner from the line. Final score: 18–16 (OT).

The semifinals brought a clash with Miami.EXE, headlined by rim protector Andrew Kelly. The first five minutes were cagey, deadlocked at 6–6, before Suzuki sparked a 4–0 run. Ryo Ozawa took over from there, going on a personal 5-point scoring streak to put Shinagawa ahead 17–13. Crisp ball movement and clutch finishing secured a 21–16 win and a spot in the final—along with a ticket to Marseille.

Finishing the Job

Having already secured their place at the Marseille Masters, Shinagawa City.EXE entered the final with a point to prove—that their run to the championship wasn’t a fluke. Standing in their way was Serbian powerhouse Liman, a perennial contender with deep experience on the World Tour. The Serbians flexed their muscle early, drilling back-to-back two-pointers to open up a 10–6 lead after just four minutes.

But Shinagawa refused to back down.

On the very next play, Ryo Ozawa executed a perfect pick-and-roll with Jan Demsar, who cut hard to the lane and unleashed a thunderous one-handed dunk—true to his nickname, The Slovenian Sledgehammer. He then followed it up with a heavily contested step-back two that reignited Shinagawa’s momentum and brought them back into the contest.

With two minutes remaining and the score tied at 15, Dušan Samardžić found a favourable matchup in the post, beat his man cleanly, and was grabbed from behind—resulting in an unsportsmanlike foul. The play gave Shinagawa two free throws and put Liman into foul trouble for the remainder of the game.

A massive two-pointer from Ryo Ozawa with just over a minute left pushed Shinagawa into an 18–16 lead. But Liman answered again—this time Milutinovic caught Ryo on a screen and found himself wide open to tie it at 18. Ryo responded immediately with another clutch two-pointer, only to be matched again by Stevanovic, setting up a sudden death scenario.

Then came the defining moment: Hayate Suzuki forced a turnover, drew a foul immediately after, and stepped to the line with two chances to win it. He would only need one—swishing the first free throw cleanly to seal a thrilling 21–20 win. With that, Shinagawa City.EXE claimed their first FIBA Challenger title of 2025, punched their ticket to Marseille, and sent a message to the world that they’re a team to watch this season.

A Team to Watch in 2025

Shinagawa City.EXE’s title run was defined by grit, chemistry, and late-game execution. With Marseille locked in and momentum on their side, this team has officially announced itself as a serious contender in the global 3×3 scene.

Stat Leaders:

Ryo Ozawa – 3.8 PPG, 1.8 APG
Hayate Suzuki – 4.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Dušan Samardžić – 5.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG
Jan Demsar – 5.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG

MVP Honours for “The Slovenian Sledgehammer”

For his outstanding consistency and leadership across all four games, Slovenian forward Jan Demsar—known as The Slovenian Sledgehammer—was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. From the opening tip to the final possession, Demsar delivered in every critical moment. Whether it was throwing down powerful finishes, crashing the boards, or locking in defensively, his presence set the tone for Shinagawa City.EXE throughout the tournament. His ability to stay composed under pressure and lead by example was a cornerstone of their championship run in Baoding.