Gangurrus named for FIBA 3x3 World Cup

The Gangurrus are headed to Mongolia, with the men’s and women’s teams set to represent Australia at the 2025 FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Ulaanbaatar from 23–29 June.

The women’s team will open their campaign in a clash against world No.1 China in Pool A, with Poland, Italy and Madagascar also featuring in their group. On the men’s side, the Gangurrus face an equally tough challenge, drawn into Pool A alongside six-time champions and current world No.1 Serbia, as well as Belgium, Germany and Madagascar.

Fresh from an intensive training camp in Melbourne, the women’s team is shaping up to be a blend of experience, energy and cohesion. Anneli Maley, Marena Whittle and Alex Wilson bring a history of shared success, while rising talent Miela Sowah has impressed in her most recent campaigns.

Head Coach Damon Lowery said the group’s recent training camp was one of the most competitive he’s seen.

“3x3 is ferocious. It exposes both your strengths and your mental cracks, and I like to see what players are made of once those cracks are exposed.

“We need athletes who can play a dynamic, relentless brand of basketball, and who can stay composed when the pressure hits.”

In a game where chemistry can be the difference, Lowery says the existing connection between Maley, Whittle and Wilson, gives the team a solid foundation to work from.

“Cohesion is critical. You don’t get time to ‘figure it out’ during games. These three have been building the Gangurrus name for years, and they still have the hunger.”

The final piece of the puzzle is Miela Sowah, whose energy and growth have earned her place among the group.

“Anybody who knows Miela, knows she’s the highest of high energy, and she’s a bucket. The girl can flat-out score. Great attitude, great teammate, and she’s had a lot of reps lately.

While the men’s team didn’t hold a centralised camp, their recent international performances provided valuable preparation.

Jonah Antonio, Alex Higgins-Titsha and Dillon Stith all return from the team that won gold at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, while Josh Davey brings additional experience to round out the line-up.

Head Coach Adam Forde said the squad’s recent success gives them a clear focus heading into the World Cup.

“Picking this group was important as we’ve built some good momentum,” Forde said.

“The Champions Cup was a successful campaign for us, and it gave us insight into how some of the best countries in the world play. Then we had success winning gold at the Asia Cup and those two campaigns have given us a clear game plan for what we need to do to be successful.”

Drawn in one of the tournament’s toughest pools, Forde knows the Gangurrus will need to set the tone from the start.

“It’s a tough pool, and as a lower seed, there are no easy games. 3x3 is unforgiving if you think you can just ease into games and find your rhythm. But our group is smart and ready, we know we need to come out of the gates firing.”