Bahrain Dominate Oman
Bahrain hit the ground running in the U16 Asia Cup Gulf Qualifiers, sweeping aside Oman 96–44 in front of a buzzing home crowd at the BBA Arena in Umm Al Hassam.
The hosts raced to a 31–11 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, controlling the game on both ends of the court. By half-time, the score was 60–23.
Key figures deliver for hosts
Rassem AlMarzouki rotated Bahrain's squad well throughout, supported by assistant Hani Alam. Five players from Manama Club featured, including Ali Al Ferdousi and Mohammed Farhan, while Al Ahli and Muharraq also had strong representation.
Hassan Abdelkadir led the charge with a powerful dunk, multiple blocks, and calm freethrow shooting. Yousif AlSamahiji, who won the Bahraini Premier League with Al Ahli, impressed alongside Hassan AlSamahiji, who competed in the 2024 Bahrain ISF Gymnasiade 3x3 event.
Oman's biggest threat, Adam Sulaiman, started brightly but was forced off with injury in the third quarter. Almulham Al Obaidani showed glimpses of promise for a side featuring players from Seeb, Sohar, and Nizwa. Despite encouragement from fellow Tunisian coach Zuhair Al Ayachi and assistant Ali Ismaeel Al Balushi, Bahrain's depth was too strong to overcome.
Speaking after the game, Bahrain's head coach Rassem Al Marzouki remained positive: 'Alhamdulillah, we came away with a good impression. We gave all our players a chance and used the opportunity to try different things, especially with the full squad available. Tomorrow, the real tournament begins — we're the only team playing three matches in a row without rest. We'll adjust our defensive strategy, study Kuwait's strengths and weaknesses, and prepare in morning training. We scored 20 points late, we fought hard on both ends, and I believe all our players played well so that's the foundation of a strong team. InshAllah, we'll make the Bahraini crowd proud.'
Crowd energy and royal support
Drums and music filled the stands as the crowd spurred Bahrain through every play. Notable attendees included HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Vice President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and Alaa Mudara, President of the Bahrain Basketball Association.
Timeouts were used tactically by both sides, but Bahrain's rhythm rarely faltered. Leading 79–31 after three quarters, Bahrain closed out the match 96–44.
Eyes on Kuwait
Bahrain return to action today at 7:30pm against Kuwait, who beat UAE 63–44 in their opener. Saudi Arabia face UAE earlier at 5:00pm.
The tournament, held from July 7 to 12, features five Gulf teams—Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia—and acts as the qualifying stage for September's FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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