The Australian under‑17 squad broke a twelve‑year drought at the FIBA U17 World Cup, securing a bronze medal with a 77‑69 win over the host nation Türkiye in Istanbul.
A night of resilience in Istanbul
From the opening tip the contest swung back and forth, but it was Türkiye who surged ahead in the third quarter, only for Australia to answer with a decisive run that left the crowd on edge.
Guard Luke Paul was the engine of the Australian side, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, while forward William Hamilton added 16 points and Yahya Basaran contributed 14 points and ten rebounds.
Türkiye’s star Omer Kutluay poured in 32 points and Darius Karutasu chipped in 17, but their efforts were not enough as the Aussies held firm.
The victory also placed Australia joint second in the tournament’s all‑time block list with 13 rejections, underscoring a defensive evolution that has defined their recent campaigns.
For a nation that last stood on the podium in 2014 the bronze medal signals a renewed focus on developing talent and could herald a new era of success on the international stage.