How 2 Wisconsin basketball players fared in FIBA U18 Asia Cup
How 2 Wisconsin basketball players fared in FIBA U18 Asia Cup
John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal SentinelTue, August 25, 2026 at 8:14 PM UTC
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Two Wisconsin men’s basketball players are approaching their freshman seasons with another international accolade on their resume.
Isaac Riddle helped Australia win a gold medal at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup on Aug. 13-23, and Jackson Ball played a key part in New Zealand’s bronze medal in the 16-team tournament in Ahmedabad, India.
Riddle’s Australia team went 6-0 in its three group phase games and three elimination games. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 7.8 points per game, which was tied for seventh-best on the team.
His best offensive performance was in the group stage against Chinese Taipei, when he scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. His 10 rebounds in the 89-79 championship win over China were a team-high.
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Ball and New Zealand went 3-0 in group phase and won by 36 points in the quarterfinals before falling to China in the semifinals. Ball’s 20.8 points per game and four assists per game were both team-highs.
Ball, a 6-foot-5 guard, had his best performance of the tournament in the third-place win over South Korea. He amassed 29 points on 9-of-15 shooting and seven assists.
Ball has past experience competing both for New Zealand’s senior and youth national teams. Riddle has previously competed in the 2025 FIBA U17 Oceania Cup and 2023 FIBA U16 Asian Championship. They are among the four freshmen on the 2026-27 roster.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How 2 Wisconsin basketball players fared in FIBA U18 Asia Cup
Source: “AOL Sports”
