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The classification battles intensified on Day 7 of the IWBF U23 World Championship in São Paulo as Canada and Israel secured wins in the Crossover 9–12 stage to earn their place in the 9th–10th place game. South Africa and Thailand will now compete for 11th–12th.
Canada Cruise Past Thailand to Set Up 9th-Place Clash
Canada responded strongly after narrowly missing out on the quarter-finals, producing a dominant display to beat Thailand, 70–22.
From the opening tip, the Canadians controlled the tempo, with Ibrahim Odza leading the charge. He delivered a standout performance, scoring 26 points and adding 6 assists, guiding Canada to a wire-to-wire victory.
Thailand, who remain winless in the competition, battled hard throughout and were buoyed by the efforts of Amorntep Kongpakhaw, who posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Thai team will now contest the 11th–12th place game in their final outing of the tournament, whilst Canada progress to the 9-10 Placing Game.
Israel Hold Off Late South African Comeback for First Tournament Win
In the day’s second crossover game, Israel broke through for their first win of the championship, defeating South Africa 62–55 in a tense encounter.
Israel set the tone early, racing to a 38–23 halftime lead thanks to sharp execution and strong team defense. Ilay Yarhi led the scoring with 16 points, helping to build what looked like an insurmountable advantage heading into the final quarter.
But South Africa, fresh off their first win the day before, were not done. Led once again by Ntando Nokama, who tallied 19 points and 15 rebounds, they launched a late surge, cutting the lead to just five with under two minutes remaining.
Despite the momentum swing, Israel remained composed in the final moments, closing out the game to claim a well-earned victory and a chance to play for 9th place.
Final Classification Games – Wednesday, 19 June
The final classification fixtures will determine the rankings from 9th through 12th as the U23 World Championship heads toward its conclusion:
10:00 – South Africa 🇿🇦 vs Thailand 🇹🇭 (11th–12th Place)
11:00 – Canada 🇨🇦 vs Israel 🇮🇱 (9th–10th Place)
Photo Credits: X-1/IWBF
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