Ahmedabad: The FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad witnessed four exciting encounters on Thursday, with defending champions Australia and the Philippines emerging victorious in Group A, while New Zealand and Lebanon secured wins in Group B.
Philippines Edge Chinese Taipei in Thriller
The Philippines registered a narrow 89-88 victory over Chinese Taipei in the most thrilling Group A encounter. The Philippines had built a 27-point advantage at one stage, but Chinese Taipei staged a strong comeback in the final quarter.
With just moments remaining, Carter Coleman scored a layup to put Chinese Taipei ahead 88-87. However, with only 2.2 seconds left on the clock, Ethan Aguwas produced a difficult baseline shot to give the Philippines an 89-88 lead. Strong defence in the final possession prevented Chinese Taipei from scoring.
Aguwas finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while JB Kagurungan contributed 21 points and five rebounds. For Chinese Taipei, Coleman scored 22 points and Liu Ting-Kuan added 21.
Australia Make Strong Start
Defending champions Australia began their title defence in emphatic fashion, defeating Thailand 102-32 in the opening Group A game.
Australia dominated from the start, with five players scoring in double figures. Jay Fa’ale led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals.
Will Hamilton added 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Isaac Riddle scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Antonio Brown contributed 13 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Yahya Basara recorded 10 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.
New Zealand Defeat Syria
In Group B, New Zealand defeated Syria 74-68 to begin their campaign with a victory. New Zealand established control during the first three quarters, taking leads of 15-13, 23-21 and 22-11.
Syria fought back in the final quarter, outscoring New Zealand 13-7, but the early advantage proved decisive as New Zealand held on for the win.
Lebanon Overcome Bahrain
In the other Group B fixture, Lebanon defeated Bahrain 74-68 after overcoming an early setback. Bahrain led 22-11 at the end of the opening quarter, but Lebanon gradually turned the game around.
Lebanon continued its comeback through the remaining quarters and sealed the victory with a strong 25-16 final-quarter performance.
Australia, Philippines Lead Group A
Following the opening round, Australia and the Philippines sit at the top of Group A with identical 1-0 records and two points each. Chinese Taipei and Thailand have one point apiece after their opening defeats.
The next major Group A clash will see Australia take on the Philippines at 10:30 am on August 15 at Veer Savarkar Indoor Stadium in Ahmedabad. The contest could play a key role in determining the top position in the group.
