Lincoln secure top eight finish at University 3x3 World Cup

Lincoln University’s men reached the quarterfinals of the FISU University World Cup 3x3 Basketball, with Joshua Muggleston adding an individual highlight by finishing third in the men’s shoot-out competition.

Held in Macau, China, from 23–25 October, the tournament unfolded in a spectacular setting. The outdoor court stood in front of the iconic Ruins of St Paul’s, with the historic stone façade providing a striking backdrop to the international action.

Representing Lincoln University and New Zealand were Brody Cooper, Cody Stevens, Joshua Muggleston and Sebastian Wilson. The team finished eighth in the 12-team men’s field after a campaign that included a narrow opening loss, a comeback victory and a quarterfinal against the eventual bronze medallists.

Lincoln began their Pool D campaign with a close 16–17 loss to the Chinese University of Hong Kong, before falling 16–21 to Guangdong University of Technology.

With a place in the final eight still available through the play-in round, Lincoln rallied when it mattered most. A comeback victory over Mexico’s Anahuac University of Queretaro, 21–18, secured their quarterfinal berth and a milestone for the university’s basketball programme.

Their run ended against China’s Huaqiao University, who won the quarterfinal 21–16 before going on to claim the bronze medal with victory over the University of Sydney.

Joshua Muggleston provided another reason to celebrate, progressing to the men’s shoot-out final and securing third place behind Juan Manuel Cebolla of the University of Seville and Yucheng Zeg of Guangdong University of Technology.

Lithuania’s Vytautas Magnus University claimed a fourth consecutive men’s world title, defeating the University of Latvia 19–15. Peking University took the women’s crown with a 16–14 victory over the University of Ljubljana.

Lincoln’s quarterfinal appearance capped a memorable international campaign, showcasing the opportunity for New Zealand students to represent their university against leading tertiary teams from around the world.

The programme also acknowledged the support of Head Coach Joshua Thompson, High Performance Manager Moses Bygate-Smith, and team sponsor and co-manager Suzie Mason.

UTSNZ congratulates Brody, Cody, Joshua and Sebastian, alongside their support team, on Lincoln’s historic quarterfinal appearance and Joshua’s shoot-out podium finish.

View the full FISU results and explore photos in the UTSNZ Flickr gallery.