S'pore SEA Games Silver medalist basketballer, 21, goes for glory on home soil

When Liam Blakney was 18 years old, he remembers his love for basketball beginning to fade.

He had just started school at a polytechnic and was not looking to play basketball as much anymore.

That was until he was scouted to join the training squad for Singapore’s basketball 3x3 team.

Training with his team and seeing them work hard gave him a newfound appreciation for the sport.

“I love being around my teammates. I feel like that is my motivation,” he told Mothership.

Three years on, the 21-year-old is now a SEA Games silver medallist and continues to represent Singapore around the world.

The beginning

Over the past three years since joining the training squad, Blakney has become a familiar face in the 3x3 basketball scene, having been frequently selected to represent Singapore in tournaments.

He admitted that while he had played the sport since secondary school, he never imagined playing it professionally.

Players from local clubs were invited to attend trials for the squad selection, and Blakney was one of the lucky few.

“I was just playing with my friends just a few years ago, and now I'm playing against actual professional players. So I'm just blessed, but I did work hard,” the self-assured 21-year-old said.

“Playing all these big competitions for the past three years, it's really been a boost. And I feel like I don't want to just give up this opportunity, because not many people have it,” he added.

What’s basketball 3x3?

At this point, you might be wondering what this 3x3 version of basketball is.

Unlike traditional basketball which consists of five players on a team, the 3v3 format is a variation played with three players (plus one substitute), one backboard, and on a half-court setup.

Games are played to 21 points or a 10-minute time limit, with shots inside the arc worth one point and shots outside worth two points.

We also got Blakney to explain:

“It’s a lot more fast-paced compared to 5v5. Like you can be running a lot more given that there are fewer players and just one substitute,” he said.

There is also a higher chance of upsetting a so-called better team because the scoring system consists of two- and one-pointers, he pointed out.

On the other hand, traditional basketball games also include three-pointers.

“So say, you get lucky, you make a few twos, the game can be in your hand,” Blakney said.

Training together like there’s no tomorrow

Luck is not the only thing you need for competition, though, and Blakney made that clear.

He and the rest of his teammates spend every weekday training together — shooting, dribbling, passing, and keeping their physical condition in top shape.

While they get some rest on the weekends, tournaments are usually held then as well.

This means Blakney often finds himself flying out on Fridays for games and returning on Mondays.

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“Then the next day, I'll go to the gym, train at night, the next day, gym again, maybe physio, train at night, and then we'll fly again,” he said.

Injuries are also part and parcel of being an athlete, something the team is constantly mindful of as they work to keep their bodies in peak condition.

Blakney pointed to one teammate who has dealt with knee injuries throughout much of his career, yet continues to persevere.

According to Blakney, the teammate’s “grit and willingness” to keep returning to the court has been a source of inspiration for the squad.

Seeing that determination motivates the team to push harder during training.

“Every day we take inspiration from each other and try to make each other better. And I feel like the culture here is really good. We just push each other.”

That shared tenacity and camaraderie is likely how Blakney and his team brought home the silver medal at the SEA Games held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Dec. 11, 2025.

Getting silver at the SEA Games

The team, comprising Blakney and his teammates Ching Zhen Yu, Nur Aufa Emil Putra, and Xu Duanyang, made history at the last SEA Games after edging out the Philippines to clinch the silver medal.

This marked Singapore’s first-ever SEA Games medal in the 3x3 basketball event.

They were just three points behind eventual winners Thailand, who reached 21 points first.

Blakney shared that their goal had been to win a medal, and getting silver felt “great”, though he expressed a tinge of disappointment at missing out on the gold.

“That last game was really close, and I really feel like we could have taken that gold,” he said.

Nonetheless, their achievement was celebrated by teammates from the squad and their loved ones, who flooded their phones with messages of congratulations.

Blakney recalled seeing all the messages on his phone after the match and feeling overwhelmed by the support he received.

“The whole thing was like a fever dream. It was a good experience,” he said.

His biggest supporter, however, had been at the match cheering him on from the sidelines.

His father was right there in the stands watching his SEA Games match as he fought for victory.

Both Blakney’s father and mother have been strong supporters throughout his sports journey, having backed him through swimming, ice hockey, and now basketball.

Blakney said he felt “blessed” to have their support.

Cheers from fans

Beyond the encouragement from family and teammates, Blakney said he also appreciates when fans turn up to support them in the stands.

He acknowledged that there does not seem to be as much interest in sports locally these days, so the team appreciates it when fans cheer them on.

It gives them a morale boost, to say the least.

“It definitely does give us a boost. Because, I mean, usually there aren't many people… cheering us on so whenever there is, I really appreciate it.”

While Singapore has not traditionally been a powerhouse in basketball, Blakney said now might be a good time for people to start paying attention to the sport.

“I definitely think we can win now. I think that our team has been developing a lot, and I feel like we can definitely compete and beat these bigger teams that you would never really imagine in the past, that we could be beat.”

These include countries Blakney described as “Asian powerhouses”, such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand and China, which they will potentially face off in regional and international competitions.

FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup at The Kallang

Singapore is set to host the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2026 at The Kallang from Apr. 1 to 5, 2026.

Twenty-four men’s teams and 22 women’s teams will compete to be crowned champions, including reigning champions Australia, two-time champions Mongolia, Japan, New Zealand, and China.

Those interested in heading down to support Blakney and his team can get tickets here.

Top photos from Jon Ng/Google Photos, bas_3x3/Instagram and Mothership

This branded article by The Kallang got this writer getting her pom-poms ready.