Host Amsterdam HiPRO aim to start strongly at historic FIBA 3x3 Amsterdam Masters

AMSTERDAM (Netherlands) - Energized by passionate fans, Amsterdam HiPRO (NED) will feel confident of ending their FIBA 3x3 World Tour drought at the first-ever Amsterdam Masters on October 6-7. 

In the historic 100th Masters, Amsterdam will have support on their side as the World Tour journeys to the famous Dutch capital. 

But it won't be easy for the Dutchmen, who have not won a Masters since early 2021. 

The No.3 seeds have been pitted in Pool C and face an early blockbuster against Liman Huishan NE (SRB) in what will be a battle between walking buckets Worthy de Jong and Stefan Kojic.

Marijampole Mantinga (LTU) should also be a major threat with the lethal Lithuanians having reached the semis at the Lausanne Masters. 

But that might not be the 'Group of Death', which could well be Pool A featuring top seeds Ub Huishan NE (SRB), in-form Partizan (SRB) and Paris (FRA).

Ub, of course, won the first six Masters in a run for the ages to start the season, but it hasn't been easy for them of late. 

In an opening-day Serb Showdown, Ub will square off against Partizan, who have loaded up with scoring machines Stefan Milivojevic and Stefan Torbica. 

Paris are hoping to shrug off indifferent results on the World Tour and their chances of doing that rests on the shoulders of Franck Seguela, who can go toe-to-toe with anyone on the circuit. 

Pool B is similarly loaded with No.2 seeds Antwerp TOPdesk (BEL) in a major fight against Beijing (CHN) and Princeton (USA).

There are plenty of intriguing battles here, but we just can't wait to see defensive menace Dennis Donkor against Olympic gold medalist Karlis Lasmanis, who is determined to lead Beijing to their first Masters victory.

And Henry Caruso can flat out trade buckets with the brightest of stars with the insanely talented American the latest dynamo from iconic Princeton. 

Pool D has an epic between Miami (USA) and Vienna (AUT) in a rematch of the classic final in Cebu. 

Jimmer Fredette is fresh off winning the Cebu MVP and the Austrians will need to find some new strategies to ensure 'Jimmer Mania' doesn't sweep into Amsterdam.

The third team in Pool D will come from the qualifying draw featuring Utrecht (NED), Dusseldorf LFDY (GER) and Pitești Getica 95 (ROU).

FIBA