Category: 6. Sports

LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – Four teams remain standing at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 with favorites USA and Germany both surviving tough tests in the Quarter-Finals while Slovenia and New Zealand made history – the latter spoiling the party for hosts Switzerland.

USA survive classic vs Canada

United States needed everything they could muster but managed to fight past Americas rival Canada 108-102 in probably the best game of the tournament thus far.

USA had temporarily led by 13 points but Canada roared back into the game and it was tight throughout the second half. USA just made more plays down the stretch to move into the Semis.

AJ Dybantsa scored 22 points and Mikel Brown picked up 20 points and 8 assists for the Americans.

“It’s amazing, just to be here – big stage. Canada played a great game but at the end of the day we have one goal – that’s to win gold. We pulled it out. No matter what the score was. We won the game,” said JJ Mandaquit, who chipped in 4 points and 7 assists.

New Zealand spoil Swiss party

Next up for USA will be New Zealand, who have never reached this level before but made history by beating Switzerland 84-70.

Hayden Jones scored 23 points to go with 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks, Julius Halaifonua had 17 points and Oscar Goodman tallied 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Junior Tall Blacks, who were already playing in their first-ever Quarter-Finals.

“It means a lot. Basketball has been on the rise for the last five years. It keeps getting bigger every day, and this just shows we can compete with the best teams in the world,” Goodman said.

Germany into first top four in 38 years

It was a long time coming but Germany finally have returned to the Semi-Finals, beating Australia to end a 38-year wait. The Germans nearly wasted a 23-point lead as the Australians got back within four points but ended up prevailing 80-67.

“It’s a pretty big thing that we were able to show the character when we have a run against us. We stuck together and found a way to win,” said Hannes Steinbach, who tallied 16 points and 16 rebounds.

What asked about the country finally ending a 38-year wait, Steinbach said: “That’s pretty amazing. This group here is pretty good and we can achieve even more.”

Slovenia secures Semis spot

Slovenia secured their first-ever berth in the Semi-Finals by running away from Israel 79-55 in the Quarter-Finals and set up a date with Germany. The Balkan used a 17-3 run over the final 4 minutes of the first half to take control and were never threatened the rest of the way.

Zak Smrekar tallied 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and Urban Kroflic chipped in 13 points in the win. Slovenia’s best previous finish was seventh in 2003.

Classification 9-16

– Thiago Sucatzky dished out a FIBA U19 World Cup record 15 assists as Argentina beat Cameroon 85-67. Tyler Kropp added 25 points and 9 rebounds in the win.
– Nikola Dzepina totaled 26 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in a 94-88 victory for Serbia over Dominican Republic.
– Mali had no problem with Jordan, rolling to a 91-50 victory thanks to Sekou Bagayoko scoring 22 points and Youssef Traore registering a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds.
– France bounced back from their disappointing loss to Switzerland in the Round of 16 to beat China 85-76. Marc-Owen Fodzo Dada scored 21 points and Yohann Sissoko chipped in 17 points for the winner.

Saturday July 5 schedule:

Semi-Finals:

SLO v GER
NZL v USA

Classification 5-8

ISR v AUS
SUI v CAN

Classification 9-12

ARG v SRB
FRA v MLI

Classification 13-16

CMR v DOM
CHN v JOR

FIBA

In contrast to the sputtering start against Italy, New Zealand enjoyed greater fluidity on attack and discipline on defence. The Junior Lelos won seven scrum penalties in their 35-28 loss against Ireland. They had no such profit against New Zealand, who in the second half also defused three menacing mauls inside their 22. 

Georgia made a passionate and precise start. Halfback Giorgi Spanderashvili wrenched an early turnover at the ruck. Rapid and belligerent phases ensued, and Shota Kheladze speared low and hard to reach the paint. 

New Zealand responded when winger Maloni Kunawave created a turnover, resulting in a quick tap penalty by Oli Mathis, which earned Luka Keshelava a yellow card for a cynical offside tackle. Following another tap, New Zealand quickly moved the ball left, with James Cameron delivering a pass to Harlyn Saunoa, who dived into the corner with a style, reminiscent of Greg Louganis.

New Zealand botched the restart, leading to a penalty for Georgia, which allowed Toulon No. 8 Mikheil Shioshvili to maul over for a try. 

Georgia failed to retain their kick off, enabling New Zealand to strike back. ‘Harlyn Air’ rinsed and repeated from a spiralled Tane Harvey pass. 

Prop Bachuki Baratashvili was yellow carded for a second consecutive game for a head-on-head tackle. His departure was the cue for New Zealand to wrestle firm control. 

Halfback Dylan Pledger sent Mathis thundering into a hole. Mathis transferred back to Pledger, who was tipped over but offloaded from the ground to lock Xavier Tracey as New Zealand led for the first time after 25 minutes.

Blonde Bull Eli Oudenryn expanded that advantage when he splintered off a maul and stampeded clear for a bonus point try.  Lock Aissake Vakasiuola gathered a charitable lineout throw and sauntered in as New Zealand turned 31-14 ahead at the interval. New Zealand’s growing ascendancy was illustrated by the fact that they made 34 of 35 first-half tackles, and Georgia missed 27 tackles.

A 43rd-minute pitchside fire briefly held up proceedings. The flames didn’t dampen Maloni Kunawave. His footwork a short while later could have avoided the MGM Grand Hotel Fire. 

Except for a rolling maul that could have stopped in Tbilisi, there was no scoring for the last 34 minutes. The game staggered from stoppage to stoppage, the players visibly strained by the searing heat. 

Rampaging No.8 Micah Fale didn’t cool with a game-high 13 carries for 90 metres. Oudenryn was lively, Simpson silky, and New Zealand’s wingers combined for five turnovers, a dozen defenders beaten, and 142 metres gained. Mathis had two turnovers while adding an extra dimension to New Zealand’s attack. 

New Zealand has won 57 of their 71 matches at the World Under 20 Championships. Their previous victories over Georgia were 55-0 in 2016, 45-13 in 2019, and 50-26 in 2023.

New Zealand Under 20: 38 (Harlyn Saunoa 2, Xavier Tracey, Eli Oudenryn, Aissake Vakasiuola, Maloni Kunawave tries: Rico Simpson 4 cons) Georgia: 19 (Shota Kheladze, Mikheil Shioshvili, Mikheil Khakhubia tries; Luka Takaishvili 2 cons) HT: 31-14

London
CNN
 — 

Portuguese tennis players Francisco Cabral and Nuno Borges were given permission to stray from Wimbledon’s strict all-white dress code to honor the late Liverpool and Portugal soccer star Diogo Jota, they told reporters, including CNN, on Friday.

Jota died in a car crash in Spain early Thursday morning. He was 28. His brother, André Silva – who was also a professional soccer player – also died in the accident at the age of 25.

Cabral, who competed in men’s doubles, told CNN Friday that he initially wanted to wear a black armband, but he said he was told that would not be allowed. He was granted approval to wear a small black ribbon instead.

The AELTC said to CNN in a statement: “We are always open to having conversations with players regarding such matters, and given the tragic circumstances, the Referee’s Office has approved the players wearing a black ribbon as a mark of respect and condolence.”

Cabral, ranked 40th in the world in doubles, won his first-round match Thursday but fell in the second round Friday with his playing partner Lucas Miedler of Austria.

“Yesterday, I came up with the idea of wearing a black strap, but that was not allowed,” Cabral said. “The players’ relations, they had a black ribbon, and I asked for permission.
They let me play with it and I just did it this morning.

“It was an honor. It’s not for the best reason. But yeah, he was not only an inspiration to me but for the country in general, he meant so much in the sport. He conquered so much in his life. So it was just an honor for me to try and help, if only 1% for the family and everybody.”

Later Friday, in the men’s singles draw, Portugal’s Nuno Borges – with a black ribbon affixed on his white cap – lost to Russian and No. 17 seed Karen Khachanov in five sets.

After the match, Borges said that he had initially hoped to walk out on court in a full red Portugal top, but his team was told that would not be allowed.

Instead, he opted for the same small black ribbon worn by Cabral.

“I think it was a nice gesture for him (Jota). He was a great footballer, it’s a tragedy,” Borges said.

In a nation where sports infrastructure remains underfunded and many disciplines struggle to find mainstream recognition, Pakistan’s youth continue to carve out remarkable stories of triumph on the global stage.

The latest testament to this tenacity came from South Korea, where Pakistan’s U-16 girls’ netball team clinched the Asian Youth Netball Championship title with a resounding 60-35 win over the Maldives in the final. Staying undefeated throughout the tournament, the team has brought home the trophy in triumph.

Netball, like many other sports in Pakistan, exists in the shadows of cricket. Government support is negligible, sponsorships are rare, and media coverage is minimal. Athletes often pay out of pocket for training or rely on passionate coaches working in difficult conditions.

Yet, results like these show that the raw talent and commitment of Pakistan’s youth is not in question. What is in question is whether the country is willing to invest in its sporting future. A national sports policy that focuses on development at the school and grassroots levels is urgently needed. Support for women’s sports must also move beyond tokenism to structured programs and facilities.

The fact that the Prime Minister and the Pakistan Embassy in Seoul publicly congratulated the team is encouraging, but mere praise must translate into policy. These victories should serve as a wake-up call for the country’s sports authorities to expand their focus beyond a few marquee sports.

We must invest in grassroots development and offer platforms for youth to compete, both locally and internationally. The talent is clearly there. What is now needed is a system that catches up to the ambition of these budding athletes to realise their true potential and have them perform at the global stage.

LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – New Zealand wrote another chapter in their recent youth basketball history by reaching the Semi-Finals of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 – their first-ever top four finish in the competition.

The Junior Tall Blacks spoiled the party in Lausanne as they beat hosts Switzerland 84-70 to set up a date with United States in the Semi-Finals.

“It means a lot”, said Oscar Goodman, one of the players tonight for New Zealand. “Basketball has been on the rise for the last five years. It keeps getting bigger every day, and this just shows we can compete with the best teams in the world.”

“It’s amazing. I am so proud of the group. We all stuck together, got it done and are now moving it.”

New Zealand gained control of the game with 24-9 run spanning the second and third quarters. And the Oceanians led 67-56 after 30 minutes. New Zealand were ahead 77-64 with under 3 minutes when the Swiss crowd tried to give them one more push – similiar to the 18-0 run late in the Round of 16. But New Zealand would not be denied.

Hayden Jones was exceptionnal in the second half and scored 23 points with 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Julius Halaifonua scored 17 points and Oscar Goodman had 13 points and 13 rebounds for an efficiency rating of 26.

Switzerland’s Cinderella run ends here. The Hosts left it all on the floor.

Jones and Goodman were part of more New Zealand magic last summer in reaching the Semi-Finals of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 – tying for the best-ever result for the country along with the Tall Blacks finishing fourth at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2002.

New Zealand also played against USA last summer – with many players from the 2024 teams playing in Lausanne as well.

FIBA

LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – The pairings and schedule for the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 Semi-Finals have been confirmed following the Quarter-Finals games in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Semi-Finals

The Semi-Finals will take place on Saturday July 5 at Lausanne Arena.

July 5

This all-European showdown is even more fascinating considering Slovenia and Germany faced off a week ago when the Germans rallied from 13 points down to win 75-68. Germany defeated Slovenia in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA U18 EuroBasket 2024 as well.

Neither team has reached the FIBA U19 World Cup Final.

New Zealand’s magic ride keeps going as the Junior Tall Blacks will play in the Semi-Finals of the U19 World Cup for the first time. But the task will be very difficult as they face record eight-time champions United States.

Curiously, these two countries played in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 as well – with USA winning 145-65.

The complete FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 Final Phrase bracket can be found here.

FIBA

+++ 9 under par and a hole-in-one: Davis Bryant (USA, -12) is the
standout performer of round two +++ Kristoffer Reitan (NOR) two shots
back in second +++ Marcel Siem (-7, T10), Marcel Schneider, Matti
Schmid, and impressive amateur Tim Wiedemeyer (all -6, T15) in
promising positions +++

Munich. Davis Bryant had a sensational day at the BMW
International Open. The American, who is playing his first season on
the DP World Tour, started on the 10th hole, made a birdie on the
11^th, and then aced the 12th hole (Par 3, 166 yards). He
would go on to make eight more birdies, finishing the second round at
12 under par to take the lead. On an otherwise perfect day, the
25-year-old might only regret making his ace on the “wrong” hole. This
year’s hole-in-one prize – a BMW M5 Touring – is awarded for an ace on
the 17^th hole, which remains in play over the weekend.

Closest behind Bryant are Kristoffer Reitan (NOR, -10), along with
Yuto Katsuragawa (JPN), Daniel Brown (ENG), and Jordan Smith (ENG),
all at -9. “I honestly don’t know what happened today. The hole-in-one
really got things going – that’s always incredibly cool,” said Bryant.
“I’m just very proud of how I executed everything, stuck to my
process, and holed some key putts. That was a big factor. The spark
really lit today – and then you just ride that momentum.”

Bryant’s ace – contributing to making him the first American since
John Daly (2001) who could potentially win the BMW International Open
– was one of 28 eagles recorded on Friday. For every eagle made during
the tournament rounds, the BMW Group is donating €1,000 to the Philipp
Lahm Foundation for Sport and Education. The joint initiative aims to
equip children and youth with key life skills in movement, nutrition,
and personal development. Heading into the weekend, the donation total
already stands at €44,000.

While Bryant and Reitan have created a slight gap, the leaderboard
remains tightly packed, promising an exciting weekend of golf. A total
of 68 players made the cut – including seven Germans. Among the most
promising are Marcel Siem (-7, T10), Marcel Schneider, Matti Schmid,
and the sensationally performing amateur Tim Wiedemeyer (all -6, T15).

Siem said: “I’m very happy. Apart from the 9th hole, I took advantage
of all the chances I had. All in all, I’m really satisfied with my
6-under round today. I don’t think much more was possible – I really
got the maximum out of it. My goal is to start the weekend confidently
and go at the flags more aggressively when I’m in the fairway. That’s
my game plan.”

Schneider was also pleased with his performance: “Today went better
than yesterday. The putter got really hot at times. Overall, the
ball-striking was better. It wasn’t perfect yet, but overall, I’m
satisfied. The four early birdies definitely gave me a push. My plan
is to keep playing well, attack the course, and hit a lot of greens.
I’ll take it shot by shot and see where that gets me.”

Amateur Tim Wiedemeyer has been playing impressive golf this week. In
his hometown, the 20-year-old followed up his even-par opening round
with a 66 today and said: “I’m very happy. Six under par is pretty
good. I tried to hit a lot of fairways and greens. And when the putter
gets hot, you shoot a good score. The support – especially on the back
nine – was really cool. It felt more like an evening round with
friends. That definitely helped my game today. Now, I just want to
have fun. The cut is made – let’s see what happens and enjoy it.”

For Martin Kaymer (-4, T37), the dream of a second win in Munich
after 2008 is still alive – albeit with a steep task ahead, sitting
seven shots behind the leader. The two-time Major champion said:
“Overall, I was satisfied with my game and hit a lot of good shots,
but I didn’t take advantage of the par-5s. Those are the real birdie
chances this week, and I missed out there. On this course – especially
if the weather is good – you can really go low. Marcel proved that
today. I know what I need to do tomorrow and hope to shoot a good
round to still be in contention on Sunday.”

Completing the group of Germans playing on the weekend are Yannik
Paul (-4, T37) and Hurly Long (-3, T53). Missing the cut (-3) were
defending champion Ewen Ferguson (SCO), Masters champion Patrick Reed
(USA), and Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald (ENG).

Full tee times for round three are attached.