13
Jul
U17 World Cup
Battle of Brno: No.1 US escapes Sapphires late run
Australian Sapphires guard Isabel Smith attacks the paint against the United States in their 2026 FIBA Under-17 Women's World Cup clash. Photo: FIBA.com
Game Replays
No.2 Australia finished on a 7-0 run but fell two points short against No1 USA in World Cup thriller
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Isabel Smith scored 20 points as world No.2 Australia pushed world No.1 USA to the final possession in a 74-72 thriller in Brno, Czech Republic on Monday, July 13, 2026 (AEDT).
Australia trailed by nine points with 1:02 remaining before finishing the game with a effort-filled 7-0 run, falling agonisingly short in its second Group A game at the 2026 FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup.
The result reinforced how little separates the two highest-ranked teams in the world – with their rematch potentially in the gold medal game on July 20, 2026 if both win through.
Australia's next game is against Côte d'Ivoire on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 22:45 (AEDT)
American wing Eve Long appeared to have secured the result for the Americans when she knocked down a 15-foot jumper to give the USA a 74-65 advantage with 62 seconds left.
But the USA did not score again.
Australia attacked until the final buzzer, scoring the final seven points as the Americans struggled to close out a game they had controlled for most of the second half.
The USA entered the contest ranked No.1, with Australia ranked No.2, and the Group A showdown delivered five lead changes and eight tied scores.
Australia led 23-22 after the opening quarter before the USA took control with a 17-11 second period to carry a 39-34 advantage into halftime.
The Americans extended the margin to 58-50 through three quarters and led by as many as nine points before Australia’s late surge.
Smith was at the centre of Australia’s challenge. She scored a game-high 20 points on 6-from-14 shooting, including two-from-three from beyond the arc, and made 6-of-8 free throws. She also pulled down four rebounds while playing almost 33 minutes.
Queenslander Olivia Olechnowicz backed up her record-setting seven-steal performance against Latvia with another strong display, finishing with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals. She shot 6-from-11 from the field and was particularly effective attacking inside the arc, making five of her six two-point attempts.
Matilda Trout produced Australia’s most complete all-round performance.
Trout finished with nine points, six assists, four rebounds and one block in 21 minutes, posting Australia’s best efficiency rating of 16.
She made 3-from-4 from the field and 3-of-4 at the free throw line while finishing with a plus-four.
Madi Ryan added nine points, 10 rebounds and three steals in more than 35 minutes. Ryan grabbed eight defensive rebounds as Australia finished with 40 boards, despite being heavily beaten on the offensive glass.
The USA collected 27 offensive rebounds and finished with 53 overall, creating repeated second-chance opportunities despite shooting just 31.7 per cent from the field. Australia was much more efficient, shooting 25-from-61 at 41 per cent.
The Australians made 20-from-44 inside the arc at 45.5 per cent, compared with the USA’s 22-from-64 at 34.4 per cent.
Neither side shot the three-ball particularly well. Australia made 5-from-17 from beyond the arc, while the USA connected on 4-from-18.
The Americans’ advantage came through additional possessions and free-throw accuracy.
The USA attempted 82 field goals to Australia’s 61 and made 18-of-22 free throws at 81.8 per cent. Australia finished 17-of-24 at the line.
Jade Sherrington contributed six assists, four rebounds and two points off the bench, while Sophie Richardson scored six points after making two three-pointers.
Lily Mapp added six points, three rebounds, one steal and one block in fewer than 10 minutes.
Ivanna Wilson Manyacka led the USA with 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Caroline Bradley also scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, while Morghan Reckley added 11 points in 14 minutes.
The USA led for 31 minutes and 15 seconds, compared with Australia’s five minutes and 29 seconds, but the Australians remained within striking distance.
Australia showed its intent from the opening quarter, scoring 23 points and taking a one-point lead into the first break.
The USA responded defensively in the second quarter, restricting Australia to 11 points and building a five-point halftime advantage.
Australia scored 22 points in the final quarter and held the Americans to 16, producing its best offensive period when the game was on the line.
The final minute belonged entirely to Australia.
Down 74-64 after Long’s jumper, the Australians increased their defensive pressure, forced the USA into rushed possessions and attacked quickly at the other end.
Seven unanswered points brought Australia within two, but the world No.1 Americans survived.
The defeat leaves Australia with a 1-1 record after opening its campaign with a 76-65 victory over Latvia.
More importantly, the performance demonstrated Australia can challenge the tournament benchmark.
The world No.2 Sapphires did not complete the comeback, but their fearless finish ensured the USA escaped rather than cruised to victory.
What happened in the last three minutes
Australia trailed 70-61 when Matilda Trout missed a driving lay-up with 2:59 remaining, but the Sapphires continued to attack rather than allowing the game to drift away.
After Micah Ojo missed from three-point range, Madison Ryan drove to the basket but could not finish. Olivia Olechnowicz collected the offensive rebound and drew a foul from Morghan Reckley with 2:16 left.
Isabel Smith then attacked the rim and scored to cut the margin to 70-63 with 2:05 remaining.
The USA answered through Eve Long, who drove under the basket for a lay-up to restore the nine-point advantage at 72-63 with 1:41 left.
Olechnowicz responded immediately.
Jade Sherrington found her cutting to the basket for a driving lay-up, bringing Australia back within seven at 72-65 with 1:28 remaining.
Long appeared to put the contest beyond reach on the next possession.
Olivia Jones created the opportunity and Long knocked down a pull-up jumper from about 15 feet, pushing the USA ahead 74-65 with 1:08 left.
Those were the Americans’ final points.
Australia finished the game with seven unanswered points over the final 68 seconds and came within one possession of completing the comeback.
Sherrington created the first opening, finding Sophie Richardson beyond the arc for a three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining.
The basket cut the deficit to 74-68 and forced the USA to manage a suddenly dangerous final minute.
Long then committed an offensive foul with 34 seconds left, giving Australia another possession.
Smith capitalised, finding Richardson for another three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining.
Richardson’s second triple – a banked three out of a time-out – in 23 seconds reduced the margin to 74-71 and placed the world No.1 Americans under enormous pressure.
Ivanna Wilson Manyacka then missed a driving lay-up with nine seconds left, and Olechnowicz secured the defensive rebound.
Nation Williams fouled Olechnowicz almost immediately, sending the Australian guard to the free-throw line with eight seconds remaining.
Olechnowicz made the first free throw to cut the margin to 74-72 but missed the second.
Caroline Bradley collected the defensive rebound for the USA.
Australia fouled Olivia Jones with three seconds remaining, but before the Americans could safely close the game, Bradley turned the ball over on the inbound, falling out of bounds.
That gave Australia one final chance with 1.7 seconds left.
Trout returned to the floor for Richardson, but the USA’s pressure denied Australia a clean final attempt.
Sherrington’s pass was intercepted by Wilson Manyacka as time expired, preserving the Americans’ 74-72 victory.
Australia had trailed by nine points with 68 seconds remaining but held the USA scoreless over the final minute, forced two turnovers and produced consecutive Richardson three-pointers to drag the game back to one possession.
The comeback fell short, but the finish underlined how little separated world No.1 USA and world No.2 Australia.
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