WUHAN (China) – The Quarter-Finals cast for the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2026 is complete after a dramatic Day 4 of pool phase action at the Hongshan Riverfront Park in Wuhan. New Zealand and Latvia advanced from Men's Pool B, while Lithuania and United States survived Pool D. Over in the Women's competition, Canada and the Netherlands advanced from Pool B, while Australia and the United States secured the knockout round spots from Pool D.
Men's Action
New Zealand produced one of the biggest performances of Day 4 in Men's Pool B, defeating Spain 20-15 before overcoming Egypt 21-16 to secure their place in the Quarter-Finals. Joshua Book was instrumental in both victories, scoring a total of 21 points and hitting a total of 7 two-pointers in their last two Pool B games. The back-to-back wins gave New Zealand a 3-1 record and a place in the knockout rounds.
Latvia, meanwhile, swept Pool B after defeating the Philippines 21-11 and beating Spain 18-12. Dāvis Skreivers led Latvia against the Philippines with nine points and five rebounds, while Mārtiņš Bumbieris added seven points against Spain as Latvia closed out their Day 4 assignments with two wins.
In Men's Pool D, defending champions Lithuania completed a perfect run with victories over the United States and Argentina. Rokas Jocys exploded for 13 points, including five two-pointers, in Lithuania's 21-14 win over the USA. Paulius Velutis then added eight points in the 21-12 victory over Argentina as Lithuania finished 4-0. The USA and Argentina both ended 2-2, but the United States owned the tie-breaker advantage and claimed the pool's last Quarter-Final spot.
Book it
Book saved one of his best performances of the pool phase for the decisive Day 4. After scoring nine points against Spain, the New Zealand star took over against Egypt, finishing with 12 points, five rebounds and four two-pointers.
His 7 two-pointers across the two games helped New Zealand finish the pool phase on a high and secure a place in the Men's last eight. He currently leads all players in the Men's Tournament with a total of 11 made two-pointers.
Women's Action
Women's Pool B delivered plenty of drama, with Canada and the Netherlands both finishing 3-1 and advancing to the Quarter-Finals. Canada opened Day 4 with a 21-9 victory over Chinese Taipei before narrowly falling 14-13 to the Netherlands. The Netherlands then closed out the pool phase with an 18-13 victory over Poland, securing their own 3-1 record and advancing alongside Canada.
Australia completed a perfect Women's Pool D campaign, defeating Slovenia 20-17 before winning their last game against the United States via forfeit. The Australians finished 4-0 and advanced as pool winners. Tayla Jean Brazel continued her strong tournament with 10 points against Slovenia, including four two-pointers. The United States also advanced after defeating Kenya 21-12 and finishing with a 3-1 record.
Asare delivers
Mary-Anna Abigale Serena Asare was central to Canada's qualification push, scoring eight points and producing five highlights against Chinese Taipei. Her performance gave Canada the ideal start to a decisive day. Canada's narrow defeat to the Netherlands meant the pool came down to the final results, but their 3-1 record was enough to send them through to the Quarter-Finals.
Quarter-Finals cast
After four days of pool-phase action, the eight Quarter-Finalists in each tournament are now confirmed.
Men's Quarter-Finals Matchups
QF1: Serbia vs France QF2: Lithuania vs New Zealand QF3: Latvia vs United States QF4: Australia vs Netherlands
Women's Quarter-Finals Matchups
QF1: France vs Latvia QF2: Australia vs Canada QF3: Netherlands vs United States QF4: Spain vs China
Now, the remaining 16 teams turning their attention to the knockout rounds.
What's next?
Day 5 brings the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Finals in both the Men's and Women's Tournaments, with the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup 2026 champions set to be crowned in Wuhan.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 World Tour throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official World Tour website, where you can find the latest news, team standings, player statistics and everything you need to follow the Race to the Final. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3x3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.
Want to learn more about 3x3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3x3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3x3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.
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