.png){kind=small}
A high-stakes day of action at the IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship has set the stage for a blockbuster final. Germany and Türkiye will meet on Friday to contest the gold medal, while Great Britain and Australia will fight for bronze. The day also confirmed final placements for teams competing in the 5–8 and 9–12 brackets.
Germany Cruise Past Australia to Book Their Place in the Final
Germany booked their ticket to the final with a commanding 87–40 win over Australia in the semi-finals.
The undefeated Germans led from start to finish, dominating inside and shooting an impressive 58% from the field. They scored 40 of their points in the paint, making life difficult for the Aussies throughout.
Julian Lammering was unstoppable, pouring in 30 points in an outstanding individual performance, while Jakob Kroemer added 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Australia showed flashes of brilliance but couldn’t match Germany’s size and efficiency. Jaylen Brown led his team with 14 points, and they will now turn their focus to the bronze medal match.
Türkiye Shock Great Britain in Semi-Final Thriller
In the second semi-final, Türkiye delivered a major upset, knocking out previously unbeaten Great Britain 57–52 in a tense,in a game full of drama.
The game went back and forth, but Türkiye remained composed down the stretch. Hasan Efeturk was the hero, delivering a monster double-double with 23 points and 24 rebounds, while Alda Albarak contributed 13 points and 7 assists.
Despite 17 points apiece from Oscar Knight and Joel Clifton, Great Britain’s unbeaten run came to an end. They will face Australia in Friday’s bronze medal game.
Crossover 5–8: Italy and USA Set for Fifth-Place Battle
In the classification games, Italy and the USA each bounced back from quarter-final losses to earn a place in the 5th–6th place playoff.
Italy responded well to their narrow loss against Australia, defeating Japan 66–41. After a closely contested opening quarter, the Italians took control with sharp execution and strong rebounding. Alessandro Sbuelz led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Takuma Taniguchi scored 12 for Japan in a valiant effort.
Meanwhile, the USA took down host nation Brazil 68–38, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back. Colin Lancaster was unstoppable, finishing with 29 points and 13 rebounds to lead his team into the 5th–6th place game.
Japan and Brazil will now play for 7th place on the final day.
Finals Day – Friday, 20 June – Court 1 Schedule
09:00 | Japan vs Brazil – Placing 7–8
11:15 | Italy vs USA – Placing 5–6
13:30 | Great Britain vs Australia – Bronze Medal Game
15:45 | Germany vs Türkiye – Gold Medal Game
Photo Credits: X-1/IWBF
#U23WBWC #IWBF #2025U23WBWC
