Italy Makes History: Wheelchair Basketball Team Reaches First Ever World Cup Final

How Italy Turned Around a 14-Point Deficit

Great Britain opened the semifinal with aggressive perimeter play, as Knight proved nearly impossible for the Italian defense to contain in the early minutes. Powered by early scoring from Knight and Warburton, the British side surged to a 2-8 lead within four minutes and stretched the advantage to 10-24 by the end of the first quarter. Italy struggled to find an offensive rhythm early, shooting just 1-of-8 from the field while accumulating early fouls.

The deficit reached 13 points in the second quarter before a 25-36 halftime score gave the Azzurri a foothold. The turning point arrived in the third quarter, where Italy’s defense completely shifted the momentum. The Azzurri restricted Great Britain to just seven points in the period while Filippo Carossino and Giulio Maria Papi ignited the offense. A furious 3-minute and 10-second run by Saaid, Papi, Carossino, and Giaretti sliced the margin down to four points at 36-32, eventually tying the game at 43-43 before Carossino sank a basket to close the third quarter ahead 45-43.

Standout Performances and Crucial Statistics

Filippo Carossino led all Italian scorers with 23 points, steering the team through its most difficult stretches and hitting crucial free throws down the stretch. Giulio Maria Papi added 14 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field while dishing out 5 assists. Bench contributions proved vital to the comeback, with Sbuelz contributing 8 points and Saaid adding 7 points to stabilize the rotation.

For Great Britain, Fox led the scoring effort with 14 points, while Warburton added 13 points and Knight finished with 12 points. Despite a late fourth-quarter push led by Manning—who scored consecutive baskets to level the score at 49-49—and a tying basket from Pratt with under a minute remaining, Italy maintained its composure. Papi responded with a clutch basket to put the Azzurri up by two points with 40 seconds left, and late free throws from Carossino and Giaretti sealed the 63-59 final score.

Historic Context and the Road to the Final

Prior to this tournament, the highest finish for the Italian wheelchair basketball program at a world championship was fourth place in 2010. By defeating a powerhouse British squad—which claimed world titles in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2022—Italy not only erased decades of near-misses but also secured its first podium finish in global competition.

The Azzurri entered the knockout stages following an undefeated run through the group stage, which included a statement victory over reigning world champions the United States.

What Comes Next

Italy advances to face Australia in the gold-medal match. The final is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, at 10:45 p.m. Italian time (4:45 p.m. local time in Ottawa).