Ub overcame Antwerp to win the first FIBA 3x3 World Tour event of the season in Utsunomiya ©fiba.basketball

Last year's winners Ub Huishan Ne from Serbia began the men's International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3x3 World Tour season with a victory in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya.

Ub defeated Belgian outfit Antwerp TOPdesk 21-11 in the final played at the Futaarayama Jinja shrine venue.

Strahinja Stojačić, a member of Serbia's FIBA 3x3 World Cup-winning side, scored a game-high nine points, and was named the most valuable player for the opening event of the season.

He scored 39 goals in total in Ub's winning run, which began with a 21-17 victory against Mongolia's Sansar MMC Energy, followed by a 21-17 triumph over Sydney CLBEXE from Australia in Pool A.

Ub won their quarter-final against home favourites Utsunomiya BREX EXE 21-14, then triumphed 21-16 over Austrian side Vienna in the semi-final.

Antwerp lost their opener in Pool D 21-15 to Vienna, but a 22-14 success against Rosedale SwishEXE from New Zealand ensured they reached the quarter-finals.

They defeated Serbia's Paritzan 19-12 in the quarter-finals, then saw off Sansar 13-10 to reach the final before being beaten by Ub.

The two finalists clinched places at the Marseille Masters tournament scheduled for June 30 and July 1.

Manila in the Philippines is due to host the next stop on the 3x3 World Tour on May 20 and 21.