Bayan Salman Spurs Bahrain's 3x3 Ambitions
Bahrain's basketball ambitions are hitting the fast break, with the kingdom dispatching men's and women's 3x3 teams to the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers in Singapore from 26-30 March. After years of scrapping in the regional scene, Bahrain's squads are primed to punch their tickets to the main draw—and the tools are there to make noise.
High Hopes
Speaking exclusively to The Daily Tribune, Bayan Salman, a linchpin in Bahrain's women's team, laid out the squad's mindset. 'Preparations are spot-on—Murtada's passion drives us, and Dragovic's experience is teaching us new wrinkles in 3x3,' she said. That's a nod to Serbian head coach Bogdan Dragovic, a FIBA 3x3 World Tour veteran, and Bahraini tactician Murtada Mohamed, who masterminded the women's title at Neom last November. 'They're a perfect pair, and we're lucky to have them,' Salman added, highlighting a coaching duo that blends global expertise with local experience—a combo that's clicking. Her belief runs deeper: 'I've got full faith in this squad—we've got talent and chemistry. We'll take it game by game, stick to the coaches' tactics, and see where it lands us.' That's the kind of measured confidence that marks a team on the rise, not just hoping but planning to deliver.
Women's Squad Target Group A
Salman's crew lands in Group A of the women's qualifying draw, facing Malaysia and South Korea in a three-team scrap. Win it, and they're into Pool A of the main event with China and New Zealand. The other groups pack a punch: Group B has Chinese Taipei, India, Hong Kong, and Guam; Group C pits Kazakhstan, Iran, Vietnam, and the Maldives; Group D lines up Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Macau, and Papua New Guinea. Victors slot into Pools B (Mongolia, Thailand), C (Japan, Singapore), and D (Australia, Philippines). 'Training at the BBA Arena with the federation's backing means everything,' Salman noted. 'It's an honour to wear Bahrain's colours—we want to make the kingdom proud.' Those words carry weight—support at home translates to focus on the court, and this squad tips off on 26 March with history in sight.
Men's Team Face Tough Test
The men's outfit also drew Group A, taking on Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Guam. Topping it earns a berth in Pool A of the tournament proper with Mongolia and Singapore. The rest of the qualifying field stacks up like this: Group B features the Philippines, South Korea, India, and Macau; Group C pairs Kazakhstan, Iran, the Maldives, and Papua New Guinea; Group D throws Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, and New Caledonia into the fray. Winners join Pools B (China, Chinese Taipei), C (Japan, Australia), and D (New Zealand, Qatar).
A Shot at Something Bigger
Both squads are training at the BBA Arena in Um Al Hassam, rosters still fluid but the intent clear. Dragovic's global know-how and Mohamed's local understanding have these players dialed in—think quick releases and that 3x3 hustle that separates pretenders from contenders. The men need to outmuscle a scrappy group; the women must outsmart a tight trio. When a nation's basketball pulse quickens like this, it's a sign—Bahrain could be on the brink of a breakout.
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