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As the group stage of the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship reached its halfway point, Day 3 served up a series of decisive results with key implications for the quarter-final race.
Great Britain Stays Perfect With Commanding Win Over Thailand
Great Britain boosted its chances of progressing to the Quarter-Finals with a 90–21 victory over Thailand in Group B. The reigning European champions never trailed, controlling the game from start to finish to move to a 3–0 record, while Thailand dropped to 0–3. GB led by as many as 69 points, showcasing impressive depth as five players finished in double figures.
Oscar Knight and Jack Long each contributed 14 points off the bench to lead all scorers for the British side. Thailand’s Amorntep Kongpakhaw secured his second double-double of the tournament with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Turkiye Overpowers Canada to Strengthen Bid for Final Spot
In Group A, Turkiye continued to assert themselves as serious contenders with a 95–56 win over Canada. Their relentless full-court pressure in the first half stifled the Canadian offense and built a commanding lead early. Canada responded well in the third quarter, but the damage had already been done.
Baran Oguz once again led Turkiye’s attack with 23 points. Canada’s Broden Nagle impressed with 16 points but could not turn the tide for his team. The win takes Turkiye to 2–0, while Canada now sits at 1–2.
Brown Dominates as Australia Downs Host Nation Brazil
Australia secured their first win of the tournament with a 68–55 triumph over Brazil in a physical Group A contest. Jaylen Brown was unstoppable, recording a dominant double-double with 32 points and 23 rebounds. Teammate Eithen Leard added 27 points and 11 assists as Australia improved to 1–1.
The host nation was roared on by a packed and noisy home crowd at the Brazilian Paralympic Training Centre, but despite the passionate support, Brazil couldn’t contain Australia’s inside threat. Joao Nacimento led the charge for Brazil with 28 points and 19 rebounds, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent a second defeat, as the team drops to 1–2.
USA Withstand Japan’s Challenge to Move to 2–1
The USA held off a spirited performance from Japan to earn a 60–39 win in Group B. Japan came out strong, leading for much of the first quarter, but the Americans settled into their rhythm by halftime, going into the break up 26–18. They maintained control through the second half, with disciplined defense and composure on offense.
Timothy Houston led the way for the USA with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Daito Koyama top-scored for Japan with 14 points.
Germany Makes It Three From Three With Win Over Israel
Germany preserved their unbeaten record with a 60–38 win over Israel in the final game of the day. Jakob Kroemer led the charge early, scoring all 14 of his points and grabbing 9 rebounds in the first half before coach Peter Richarz rotated his bench. Dominik Langer and Julian Lammering added 9 points apiece for the Germans, now 3–0 in Group A. Ilay Yarhi led Israel with 10 points and 7 rebounds in a battling performance. Israel remains winless at 0–2.
With three group-stage days now complete, the competition is heating up as teams jostle for position ahead of the quarter-finals. Every game from here on carries added pressure — and with places in the knockout rounds on the line, fans can expect even more intensity, drama, and world-class wheelchair basketball in the days to come.
Photo Credits: X-1/IWBF
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