Italy's girls and Spain's boys rise in updated FIBA World Rankings, presented by Nike
MIES (Switzerland) - Excellent results over the summer of 2019 have elevated Italy's girls and Spain's boys in the respective FIBA World Rankings presented by Nike.
The two European nations made significant upward moves in the latest youth ranking update for Youth Men and Youth Women, implemented ahead of the draws for the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups 2020.
The Dominican Republic and Mali have also had big rises in the updated Youth Men rankings, while Colombia and Poland have made quantum leaps on the Youth Women ladder.
Find the full rankings below:
Italy have climbed five spots to fifth place in the FIBA World Ranking Youth Women after winning the FIBA U18 and U20 European Championships, while Hungary, the team Italy beat in the Final of the U18 event, have risen six places to eighth.
The top four spots in the girls ranking remained the same with the United States first, followed by No. 2 Spain, No. 3 France and No. 4 Canada.
The only country to fall out of the top 10 was Brazil, who dropped six spots to 12th.
Colombia rose 27 spots in the girls ranking following the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup
Poland are No. 29 in the FIBA World Ranking Youth Women after a rise of 23 places while Colombia, who played at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup, went up a whopping 27 spots to No. 30. El Salvador enjoyed a rise of 18 places to 41st.
Africa's biggest risers were Rwanda, who jumped 21 spots to 63rd, and Uganda, who moved up 15 spots to No. 64. Indonesia rose highest in Asia, seven places to No. 51.
In the FIBA World Ranking Youth Men, where the United States and Canada remained first and second, respectively, Spain jumped three spots to No. 3. The Spaniards captured titles at the FIBA U16 and U18 European Championships and reached the U20 Final.
Spain are now ranked third in the Youth Men ranking following a great string of results in 2019
Other substantial movement in the top 10 saw Lithuania and Serbia each fall three places to fifth and seventh, respectively.
The top-ranked African team in the FIBA World Ranking Youth Men is now Mali, who leapfrogged Egypt (now No. 23). Mali moved up seven places to 20th overall after a historic run to the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup Final in Greece. It also helped that Mali finished runners-up at the FIBA U16 African Championship.
The Mali U19 team became the first African team to reach the Final of a global FIBA competition
The Dominican Republic are flying high at 15th after a jump of eight spots, propelled by a third-place finish at the FIBA U16 Americas Championship.
China retained their place as highest ranked Asian team at 14th in the world while Korea fell a spot to 19th.
FIBA
