From the OCBC Arena to Pursuing Southeast Asian Glory in Thailand: Team Singapore Basketball 3x3
- Hana Basir
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Fresh from their experience at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup at Singapore Sports Hub, Team Singapore now turns their attentions to the year-end SEA Games
This is a feature article written by SportPlus.sg for Kallang Alive Sports Management. For more sports events, programmes and human stories of Singapore Sports Hub, visit the Singapore Sports Hub's 'Here to Play' website.
To say that Team Singapore stole the hearts of basketball fans at the recently concluded FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2025 would be untrue, as they already had them from the very beginning.
OCBC Square erupted each time the home side took the court, as fans clamoured around the arena with the international basketball spectacle drawing several thousand spectators to Singapore Sports Hub over the five days to catch a glimpse of the on court action.
Growing Singapore’s Basketball 3x3 Scene
Singapore Sports Hub confirmed that it would play host to a slew of major basketball 3x3 competitions in the coming few years at the tournament’s prestigious opening ceremony, solidifying the venue’s status as an integral platform for the development of Singapore’s 3x3 basketball scene.
2026 will witness the return of both the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup and the FIBA 3x3 World Cup Qualifiers, before culminating in the main event—FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2027.
To be sure, Singapore has hosted four consecutive editions of FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup, three of which were held at the Singapore Sports Hub, and attendance has seen a year-on-year 20% increase since 2023.
The results? Today, Singapore’s men’s and women’s teams’ world rankings stand at 31 (Men’s) and 19 (Women’s) respectively, establishing the nation firmly within the top five in Asia.
Journey to Regional Glory
With major competitions attracting highly experienced and elite athletes to the Sports Hub, mixed with the rise in popularity of 3x3 basketball in Southeast Asia, the road to the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games 2025 will only get tougher—but that’s exactly what the players want.
“We know we have a lot of things to fix and eventually work on. That’s the whole aspect of sports, it’s cruel. No matter what you try to pick up on and adjust to, it can be difficult. Whether we get overwhelmed by them, it’s still a good experience. By playing opponents above us, we understand what we lack outside of height and physicality,” said Team Singapore Men’s player, Nur Aufa Emil Putra on the privilege of playing tough opponents.
Facing off against highly experienced players, with the raucous crowd cheering them on every step of the way, created the perfect atmosphere to propel the Singaporeans toward their journey to the Land of Smiles this December.
“The support was amazing and this is something we will definitely hold close to us. The season just started and we have the SEA Games at the end of the year. We need to remember the support we had today as we prepare for these upcoming competitions,” added Lazar Rasic—Head Coach of Team Singapore—as he emphasised on the motivation given to the team by the crowd and playing on home soil.
Captivating the Court
Team Singapore’s women’s team were up first on the first day of the main draw (27 March), as they took on a formbidable Japanese side. Despite a strong effort, Singapore was bested by Japan, who went on to reach the finals.
Nonetheless, the crowd at OCBC Square backed their own every chance they got — with screams and cheers each time a Team Singapore athlete took possession of the ball - underscoring their roles as the all important fourth man.
“It definitely felt good to hear them cheer for us, even when we were down. It definitely gave us more energy to fight harder for the next ball,” shared Team Singapore’s Lydia Ang as she recounted the crowd erupting into a chorus of cheers each time they earned a point.
Nur Aufa of the men’s team, who had the opportunity to experience the effects of the crowd the following day, shared the same sentiments.
“I will constantly repeat that we are very grateful for this crowd,” he shared.
“Building a basketball or sporting culture in general can be very difficult. So having fans definitely helps support not only the players who’ve put in all the hours, but the coaches too and anyone who’s helped in this journey.”
The women’s team then returned to the court once more in the evening to face regional opponents Vietnam, and with the regional SEA Games 2025 beckoning on the horizon, this clash was a test of Singapore’s readiness to achieve their goals in Thailand.
“Through these matches, we actually see our weaknesses, so we’ll definitely work on it and try to improve. We will go back to training and look at some other competitions coming up, including the SEA Games at the end of the year,” shared Singapore’s Women’s veteran Tang Choy Ting.
“So many people came down to support us and we really wanted to show what we’ve been working on throughout the year, how we trained. Unfortunately, we didn’t really manage to show it in the first game. The second was better but there was so much more we could do. We have to accept the pressure and train hard so we can show what we can really do,” added her teammate, Han Xing Yue.
The following day then saw the men’s team begin their FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2025 campaign, and they came charging out of the bullpen with a win against Hong Kong. The home side dominated and gave Hong Kong no chance of a comeback, going on to triumph 21-16.
The four players, featuring three who had never played in front of a home crowd of this scale before, were then back to the drawing board to prepare for a mammoth clash against top seeds Mongolia.
Praising his young teammates, veteran Team Singapore athlete Kelvin Lim said: “This is their first time competing in Singapore in front of such a big crowd. They came out courageous and just did their thing. They were aggressive and they did a good job.”
Choosing to look on the brighter side of things, Nur Aufa took the lessons he received as a privilege for the team to learn ahead of the SEA Games.
“Our local talents are always stuck playing against one another but in sports, I believe iron sharpens iron. We rarely expose ourselves to talents like Mongolia so I think it was a very good experience,” he shared.
As a result of notching an all important win against Hong Kong, Singapore booked a quarter-final berth against Japan the next day, finishing as runners-up of Pool A in the process. In what was an electrifying game in front of a boisterous crowd then, Singapore put up a heroic effort, but fell to the Japanese 21-17. For many, the result mattered little, as the team had already stole their hearts.
Laying the Groundwork for Success at Singapore Sports Hub
While the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup is a major tournament, it isn’t only when the FIBA 3x3 is in town that the Singapore Sports Hub witnesses basketball talent. In fact, much of the sport’s growth can be attributed to the trainings that take place within the halls of OCBC Arena.
With state-of-the-art facilities and a one-stop-shop for athletes, Sports Hub has been able to play a key role in laying the foundation for the growth of Singapore 3x3 basketball.
19-year-old Liam Blakney, who starred at the recently concluded Asia Cup, emphasised on the opportunities given to showcase the team’s abilities on the regional and global stage as a result of the facilities.
With the intent of a podium finish at the SEA Games this December, the sport is bound to grow leaps and bounds with the help of not only major competitions, but also making the sport accessible.
“Basketball has become a mainstay of Singapore Sports Hub’s vibrant sporting calendar. We look forward to build on this momentum - curating accessible programming and creating unforgettable experiences for athletes and the basketball community - and cementing the Singapore Sports Hub as a preferred destination for international sporting events,” shared Quek Swee Kuan, CEO of Kallang Alive Sport Management.
This is evident in the level of interest present in the sport within the ActiveSG Basketball academy, which boasts over 2,000 youth participants each season and strives to develop fresh talent.
With major events like the upcoming NBA Rising Stars Invitational in June and the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in September at Sports Hub, Singapore’s emergence as a rising basketball 3x3 nation is now surely undeniable. #FIBA3x3 #TeamSingapore #3x3AsiaCup
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