OTTAWA, Ontario — Team USA spent the first half chasing Japan. The third quarter changed the game.

The U.S. men erased a seven-point halftime deficit and beat Japan 72-67 at TD Place to secure fifth place at the 2026 IWBF World Championships for Men. Japan led 20-11 after the first quarter and 32-25 at halftime before the U.S. outscored Japan 29-14 in the third to take control.

Jacob Williams finished with 21 points, 13 assists and four steals. Paul Schulte added 14 points on 7-of-8 shooting in 20 minutes, while Jorge Salazar scored 12 points and collected eight rebounds. The U.S. shot 53.4 percent from the field and recorded 24 assists on 31 made field goals.

JAPAN CONTROLS THE FIRST HALF

Japan established the early advantage behind Renshi Chokai and Yoshinobu Takamatsu. The U.S. did not score until Brian Bell connected with 7:14 remaining in the opening quarter, and Japan carried a 20-11 lead into the second.

Schulte entered with 4:29 left in the first and scored his first basket at the 3:09 mark. He added three more field goals in the second quarter as the U.S. tried to cut into the deficit, but Japan continued to answer.

Schulte said the lineup he played with had a specific emphasis as the U.S. tried to match Japan’s speed.

“For the lineup that I play in, our focus is, I mean, we have especially a defensive focus,” Schulte said. “I was just trying to make sure that we were pushing really hard to try to match some of their energy.”

Chokai’s layup with 1:45 remaining pushed Japan ahead 32-21, its largest margin of the half. Williams answered with two free throws, and Salazar scored with eight seconds left to send the U.S. into halftime trailing 32-25.

For Schulte, the route back into the game started with defensive stops and the ability to attack before Japan could organize in the half court.

“Once I saw us attacking more in transition, I was like, okay, this is how we’re supposed to play,” Schulte said. “This is our style.”

THIRD-QUARTER FLIP

The response came immediately after halftime.

Williams scored a basket and free throw eight seconds into the third quarter. Fabian Romo checked in to begin the half and quickly became part of the U.S. response.

Romo said the group’s approach throughout the tournament was to stay ready regardless of which lineup was on the floor.

“Whoever’s in, we just had to take our time, get into our flow, and kind of dictate how the game is going,” Romo said.

Romo then scored twice in the opening two minutes as the Americans moved within four. Jorge Sanchez made it 36-34 before Williams turned consecutive Japan turnovers into a steal and two free throws, tying the score at 36 with 7:43 remaining. Williams followed with a three-pointer at 7:11 to give the U.S. a 39-38 lead.

Japan regained the advantage twice, including a 42-41 lead with 5:56 left, but the U.S. closed the quarter on a 13-4 run. Sanchez put the Americans back in front, Romo hit a three-pointer, and AJ Fitzpatrick, Schulte and Salazar added baskets as the lead grew to 54-46 by the end of the quarter.

Romo scored all seven of his points during the third quarter, finishing 3-for-5 from the field with two assists in 7:05.

“We don’t need one person to save the team,” Romo said. “We need to play as a team collectively.”

CLOSING IT OUT

Japan reduced the lead to four at 54-50 with 8:30 remaining, but the U.S. answered.

Fitzpatrick scored, Salazar followed with two baskets, and Schulte connected at 5:33 to extend the margin to eight. Fitzpatrick’s layup made it 64-54 before Schulte scored again at 4:32 for a 66-54 advantage.

Japan made one final push behind Chokai, who finished with 29 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds. Japan cut the deficit to 68-62 with 1:33 left and then to 70-65 with 46.4 seconds remaining. Williams made two free throws with 29.8 seconds left to restore a seven-point advantage.

Japan scored in the final second to set the 72-67 final.

FIFTH-PLACE FINISH

The victory gave Team USA fifth place, short of the result the group wanted from the World Championships.

“It’s not the outcome that we wanted,” Romo said, adding that the team now has to return home and prepare for what comes next.

Schulte also pointed toward the work ahead after a tournament in which the U.S. finished outside the top four.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, but we’re close,” Schulte said.