The Rollers are through to the Gold Medal game of the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships after edging out Germany 84-83 in a gripping overtime battle at TD Place in Ottawa.
The Semi Final lived up to its billing as a genuine arm wrestle, with the two sides locked at 75-75 at the end of regulation before Australia found just enough in the extra period to book their place in the decider.
Jaylen Brown was once again the standout performer for Australia, delivering a monster all-around performance with 37 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists on 15-of-32 shooting, continuing the extraordinary form that has defined his tournament. Tom O'Neill-Thorne was influential running the offence, finishing with 19 points and a team-high 9 assists, while also contributing 6 rebounds. Bill Latham was efficient off an early start, scoring 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting to round out a strong trio of contributors.
Australia's night was made tougher by a slow start from the perimeter, with the Rollers shooting just 7-of-24 (29%) from three-point range for the game, though a strong inside presence helped offset that, with Australia piling up 40 points in the paint compared to Germany's 24.
Germany made Australia work for every point, with Aliaksandr Halouski leading all scorers on the night with 26 points on efficient 11-of-21 shooting, while Nico Dreimüller added 21 points and a game-high 8 assists. Captain Thomas Böhme also had a strong showing, scoring 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting.
The lead changed hands throughout a tense contest, with Germany's biggest lead reaching 16 points earlier in the game before Australia clawed their way back into contention. Australia's discipline down the stretch proved crucial, with the Rollers converting 7-of-11 from the free-throw line compared to Germany's 15-of-22, in a game where fouls played a significant factor, with Germany committing 21 personal fouls to Australia's 22.
Second-chance points also played a role in the result, with Australia converting 23 points off offensive rebounds compared to Germany's 10, highlighting the value of Australia's 17 offensive boards for the game.
With the win locked in, the Rollers have guaranteed themselves at least a silver medal and will now turn their attention to the Gold Medal game as they chase a third IWBF World Championship title, having previously triumphed in 2010 and 2014.
