The late-night crowd has a reason to stay up. Joyce Edwards and the United States women’s 3×3 national team have touched down in Manila, Philippines, and the defending Chengdu champions are back in action tonight with Qualifying Draw games at 11 PM and 12:40 AM ET — streaming live on YouTube.
This is not a warm-up act. This is a team that arrived in Asia with something to prove and proved it immediately. Now, riding a wave of momentum from one of the most compelling international performances of the young 2026 season, the USA is back on the hardwood looking to make it two stops, two titles.
From Chengdu with a Trophy
Context matters here. When the US landed in Chengdu, China just days ago for the opening stop of the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series, this was a team with everything to establish and nothing yet proven on this circuit as a unit. What followed was a statement performance that resonated across the entire field.
The United States captured their first FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series stop title since 2024 in Chengdu — the first for this current roster — battling through a stacked international field and delivering when it mattered most.
The path to that title was not clean or comfortable. It was earned possession by possession, game by game, in exactly the kind of high-pressure elimination format where character reveals itself.
In the quarterfinals, the USA edged past Amsterdam 20-18 behind a strong showing from Joyce Edwards, before surviving a thriller against Poland in the semifinals, 21-20, with MiLaysia Fulwiley delivering the game-winning floater after a back-and-forth battle that went down to the wire.
The championship game was no different. Germany leaned on their size advantage early, attacking the paint and building a narrow edge, but the USA responded with defensive intensity — Fulwiley brought disruption in the passing lane while Edwards kept the interior congested to force key stops and keep the Americans within striking distance. South Carolina Athletics The game was tied at 12-12 with five minutes remaining before Germany surged ahead 16-13, making what happened next even more remarkable. Mikaylah Williams delivered a superstar performance with 10 points, knocking down a clutch two-pointer for a 19-18 lead before Sahara Williams added the insurance tip-in to close it out 20-18.
For Joyce Edwards specifically, the Chengdu stop confirmed exactly what South Carolina fans have known for two seasons: she is a dominant interior presence on any court, at any level of competition. As a sophomore for the Gamecocks, Edwards averaged 19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.8 steals — setting South Carolina’s single-season scoring record with 768 total points while being named first-team All-SEC and second-team AP All-American. That individual excellence has translated seamlessly to the international 3×3 format.
Manila: A Different Challenge
Arriving in Manila as the reigning stop champions does not guarantee anything — it simply makes the USA a more visible target on an already loaded bracket.
Headlining the Manila event are top seeds Ulaanbaatar Amazons of Mongolia, who are raring to bounce back after a quarterfinal exit in Chengdu. Among the other top contenders capable of making deep runs are Poland, Germany, Lithuania, and of course the Chengdu winners, the United States.
The structure of tonight’s action adds an immediate layer of urgency. The competition begins with a Qualifying Draw, where six teams will vie for the final two spots in the Main Draw. In Qualifying Draw A, the United States, Manila (Philippines), and Warsaw (Poland) will clash in what promises to be a tightly contested group.
That means the USA is not walking straight into the main bracket — they must first navigate qualifying, a format that leaves zero margin for a slow start. One bad game, one cold shooting stretch, and a championship-caliber team can find itself on the outside looking in. The 11 PM ET slot is not ceremonial. It is high-stakes 3×3 basketball from the opening minute.
The Bigger Picture: A Season That’s Just Getting Started
The Manila stop is the second of what will be an extensive global tour for the 2026 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series. After Manila, the circuit moves to Shanghai, China on May 16-17, before traveling through Orléans (France), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Sumgait (Azerbaijan), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), and Poitiers (France), with the season ultimately concluding at the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Project Redwings Shanghai Final on September 5-6, where the top teams compete for the season title.
For the USA, every stop is an opportunity to accumulate points, build chemistry, and send a message to a competitive international field that Chengdu was not a fluke. Edwards, Fulwiley, Mikaylah Williams, and Sahara Williams have shown they can close games under pressure in hostile environments. Manila is the next test.
The late-night crowd doesn’t need to be told twice. Set the alarm. Joyce Edwards and USAB 3×3 are live — and they’re defending.
Watch live on YouTube: Qualifying Draw A tips off at 11 PM ET, with Qualifying Draw B to follow at 12:40 AM ET.
