Kuala lumpur: The national men's and women's 3x3 basketball teams have set their sights on medals at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, scheduled from September 19 to October 4. Men's team head coach Ee Kee Lip expressed confidence in his young squad's potential following promising performances at the recent Nations League in Petaling Jaya.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the men's team will consist mainly of Under-23 players, retaining only skipper Chong Zhen Yang from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games squad. Kee Lip has set a target of securing a bronze medal after the team was eliminated in the first round of the last Asian Games following three defeats. He highlighted Japan, China, and Mongolia as key competitors but remains optimistic due to Malaysia's recent victories over Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, with their only loss against New Zealand.

The coach emphasized the team's versatility and physical capabilities essential for the fast-paced 3x3 format. For their final preparations, the men's team will compete in the Singapore Quest and Penang Quest before heading to the Asian Games.

In parallel, women's team head coach Goran Vojkic remains hopeful for a medal after extensive preparation of three to four months. Despite the challenging draw with Mongolia, the Philippines, and Macau in the group stage, Vojkic's primary aim is to advance to the quarter-finals. He believes any medal would be a commendable achievement, with gold being the ultimate goal.

Vojkic noted the players' familiarity from previous games as a key strength, while stressing the importance of speed and discipline to counteract their height disadvantage.