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With the quarter-final picture beginning to take shape, Day 4 of the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship at the Centro de Treinamento Paralímpico Brasileiro saw five games packed with intensity and standout performances in both groups.
Türkiye Pull Away in Second Half to Stay Perfect
A third-quarter ambush from Türkiye propelled them to an eventual 71-57 victory over Australia in Group A.
After a closely contested first 20 minutes, the European side raced out the blocks in the third, outscoring the Aussie Spinners 20-10 in the quarter and 40-29 overall as Australia's dynamic duo of Eithan Leard and Jaylen Brown both fouled out in the final period.
Baran Oguz paced Türkiye with 21 points and 6 rebounds, and they remained flawless at 3-0. Brown would collect a game-high 27 points and 13 boards for Australia, who fall to 1-2.
Canada Claim First Win in Emphatic Fashion Over Israel
Canada secured their first victory of the tournament with a commanding 96–37 result over Israel in Group A.
With both teams entering the contest in search of their first tournament win, Canada wasted no time asserting their dominance. Applying full-court pressure from the opening tip, Canada overwhelmed Israel, racing to a commanding 31-6 lead by the end of the first period, a gap from which Israel never recovered.
Canadian point guard Ibrahim Odza impressed with a game-high 26 points, but it was Nasif Chowdhury who delivered a standout performance, recording a triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 13 assists.
Great Britain Punch Quarter-Final Ticket With Hard-Fought Win Over Italy
Great Britain became the first team to book a place in the quarter-finals but had to dig deep to see off Italy 72–60 in Group B.
In what was their toughest test so far, GB relied on a strong final quarter, outscoring the Italians 13–5, to remain unbeaten at 4–0.
Oscar Knight led the way with 25 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 10/15 from the field, while Charlie McIntyre posted his second triple-double of the tournament (15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).
Alessandro Sbuelz led Italy with 14 points in a battling performance as they fall to 2–1.
Japan Dominate Second Half to Down South Africa
Japan recorded their second win of the group stage with a 62–35 triumph over South Africa in Group B.
After a close first half that saw Japan hold a 29–22 lead at the break, they turned up the intensity defensively and took full control of the game.
Shinsaku Iwata and South Africa’s Ntando Nokama led all scorers, with 18 points each, while Koga Nakazawa was a force on the boards for Japan with 12 rebounds. Japan now sit at 2–2; South Africa drop to 0–3.
USA Cruise Past Thailand to Keep Pace at the Top
The United States improved to 3–1 in Group B with a dominant 96–13 victory over Thailand.
After a slow start, the Americans found their rhythm midway through the second quarter and shut down Thailand’s offense, allowing just four points in the second half.
Preston Charles Howell IV came off the bench to lead all scorers with 17 points. Jude Hiley and Collin Lancaster added 13 points apiece for the USA, who remain firmly in the race for a top seed.
Amorntep Kongpakhaw let Thailand’s scorers with 8 points, who drop to 0–4.
With just two days of preliminary action remaining, teams are fighting not only for wins, but for the seeding that could shape their path through the knockout rounds.
Photo Credits: X-1/IWBF
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