Riddle, Ball shine at FIBA U-18 Asia Cup
August 24, 2026 | Men's Basketball
Riddle led Australia to title, Ball earned all-tourament honors
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's basketball's freshman duo of Jackson Ball and Isaac Riddle made strong impressions overseas at the FIBA U-18 Asia Cup. Both had productive showings with Riddle helping Australia capture the gold medal and Ball starring in New Zealand's third-place finish.
Ball, New Zealand's 6-foot-5 lead guard finished third among all scorers, averaging 20.8 points per game along with 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds.
His best performance came in New Zealand's bronze medal win over Korea, where Ball finished with 29 points and seven assists on 60% shooting. For his efforts, Ball was named to the all-tournament team.
Jackson Ball with the POSTER 😳🔥 against Korea in the Bronze Medal Game at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup!!
— BBALL FILMS NZ (@bballfilmsnz) August 23, 2026
2026 6'5 Guard 🇳🇿@BadgerMBB Commit@jacksonball04 pic.twitter.com/ePUhZuatFn
For gold medal-winning Australia, Riddle was an impactful contributor off the bench. The 6-8 forward put together three strong games in the group stage, scoring 12, 13, and 14 points while also contributing on the glass. He averaged 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in just under 15 minutes per game.
Riddle's size and strength were on display throughout the tournament, including in the gold-medal tilt where he had 10 rebounds in a 89-79 win over China, including seven on the offensive end.
