Italy U17 W vs Egypt U17 W

Egypt seized control from the first quarter, taking a 20-17 lead after the opening 10 minutes. The second quarter proved decisive: Egypt outscored Italy 24-17 to stretch the advantage to 44-34 at the break. Italy briefly rallied in the third period, winning the quarter 19-14 to trim the deficit to 58-53 heading into the final frame. But Egypt slammed the door shut in the fourth, pouring in 22 points while holding Italy to just 10 to close out the 17-point victory.

Quarter scores: 20-17, 24-17, 14-19, 22-10 (Egypt listed first).

Italy's third-quarter fightback cut the lead to five points — the closest the margin had been since early in the second quarter. But Egypt responded with a 14-0 scoring run spanning the third-fourth quarter bridge, their biggest run of the game, to regain full control. Italy never got closer than 10 points thereafter.

• Zeina Amin (Egypt): The game's top scorer with 25 points, Amin was the catalyst on offence, converting efficiently from the field and drawing fouls. Her scoring burst in the second quarter helped Egypt build the lead that proved insurmountable.
• Mariana Nako Moni (Italy): The Italian standout posted 19 points to lead her team, keeping Italy within striking distance through three quarters. She was the only Italian player to reach double figures.
• Egypt's inside game: Egypt shot 54% on two-point field goals compared to Italy's 40.8%, controlling the paint and generating higher-percentage looks throughout.

Egypt's shooting efficiency told the story: 44% from the field overall against Italy's 37%. The differential was particularly stark inside the arc (54% to 40.8%), where Egypt's physicality made the difference. From three-point range, both teams struggled — Egypt at 22.7%, Italy at 25% — but Egypt's superior inside scoring and better free-throw shooting (68.8% to 57.9%) compensated. Egypt led for 35 minutes and 21 seconds of the 40-minute contest, underscoring their control from start to finish.

Egypt finish 9th in the 2026 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup, a creditable result that positions them as a rising force in age-group women's basketball. Italy end in 10th place after a tournament that showed flashes of promise but inconsistency in the knockout phase. Both teams will now look ahead to the 2027 cycle, with the next U17 World Cup scheduled for 2028.

This was a straightforward case of a stronger, more physical team imposing its will from the start. Egypt's inside dominance and Amin's scoring punch were too much for an Italian side that could only muster one real challenge in the third quarter. The final scoreline accurately reflected the gap between the two sides on the day.