The Baby Pearls have finished in 11th place at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gibraltar after edging Malaysia 56 – 48 in an intense matchup.
The Baby Pearls finished in third place from their pool after South Africa finished on top and followed by Malawi at second place.
Baby Pearls advanced to the next playoff stage after beating host Gibraltar 61 – 31, they went on to take on Samoa for the 9th – 12th place semifinals. Samoa proved too strong after beating the Baby Pearls and advancing to the 9th-10th place finals while Baby Pearls heads to the 11th-12th place finals against Malaysia.
Baby Pearls opened strongly with early interceptions and long passes, while Malaysia responded with accurate long-range shots and smart use of rebounds to stay competitive.
The first half was tightly contested, with Fiji holding a narrow 27–25 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Fiji’s defensive pressure and fast transitions forced errors, while their shooters converted consistently.
Malaysia fought back in the final quarter with solid teamwork and persistence in the circle, but Fiji’s composure, quick decision-making, and ability to capitalize on every turnover ultimately sealed the win.
Samoa defeated Wales 67–53 to claim the 9th place while Cook Islands finished in 8th place after going down to Malawi 54-61. Meanwhile, Tonga settled for 13th place after narrowly edging Singapore 50–47 in a fast-paced, nail-biting encounter.
The grand finale saw New Zealand going up against Australia in a sold-out Europa Sports Complex.
Australia went on to win the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup trophy after a strong performance against New Zealand 63-48.
The Netball World Youth Cup trophy is heading back to Australia for the first time in 16 years.
