MANAGUA, Nicaragua, November 23, 2025.– With an impressive 40-point performance, Noah Mbaitoloum led the United States to the bronze medal with a 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 25-18, 21-25, 18-16) victory over Mexico at the NORCECA U17 Boys’ Continental Championship.
Mbaitoloum finished with 36 attack points, three blocks and one ace, the highest individual scoring output recorded in this category in the two editions of the tournament.
Mexico struggled to stop the American attacker, who was unable to finish the semifinal match against Cuba due to an ankle injury, but returned on Sunday to carry his team to the podium.
Nikodem Opiola and Jackson Real supported Mbaitoloum with 12 and 9 points, respectively. For Mexico, captain Francisco Merino Romero was outstanding with 35 points, followed by Yanis Medrano with 15.
The United States rallied from a 14-20 deficit to take the first set 25-22, though Mexico responded by claiming the second. In the third, USA jumped to a 10-5 lead and never looked back. Mexico forced a fifth set after winning the fourth, capitalizing on a wide early advantage of 13-5.
In the decider, the United States held a two-point lead for most of the set until Mexico tied it at 13-13. From that moment on, both teams exchanged powerful attacks and strong defensive plays, until Mbaitoloum sealed the match with two unstoppable kills.
Brandon Taliaferro, USA head coach: “It was a good match, and the level both teams displayed was very high. I have great respect for the Mexican team and their coach; they prepared their players very well, and we saw an outstanding level for U17 teams. Obviously, we wanted to win the previous match against Cuba, but today the guys responded really well. It was a great experience, and I’m very proud of this medal.”
Noah Mbaitoloum, USA top scorer: “I think it was an incredible match. Coming from behind after losing two sets and managing to win is truly amazing. That’s what makes this group special. Everyone has a role, whether you’re on the court or off it; everyone finds their rhythm and contributes wherever they are.”
Denis Rivera, Mexico head coach: “I’m happy and proud of the boys’ work since the semifinals. Today we struggled to close the sets, and that cost us both matches. The finishing moments were key, and we couldn’t execute them; the United States took advantage. Now we need to lift our heads and focus on what’s next.”
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