Qatar to kick off campaign against hosts Bahrain at Arab Basketball Championship
Doha
The draw for the 26th Arab Men's Basketball Championship - to be hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain from July 25 to August 2 - has set the stage for an exciting tournament. The opening match will feature Qatar's reserve national team facing off against Bahrain at 8pm on Friday at Khalifa Sports City Arena.
The championship will follow a single-round robin format with seven participating Arab teams: Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, the UAE, and Kuwait. The team topping the standings at the end of the tournament, which traces its origins to 1974, will claim the title.
Qatar's reserve team will follow a packed schedule after their opener against Bahrain. On Saturday they will take on Egypt followed by a rest day on Sunday. The team will on Tuesday play against Algeria, and faces the UAE on Wednesday. Qatar will play Kuwait on Friday, August 1, before concluding their campaign against Tunisia on Saturday.
The draw ceremony was conducted virtually via Zoom on Monday and was attended by representatives of the participating national federations.
Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari, General Secretary of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams, expressed optimism about the team's performance. He emphasized that the tournament is a critical step in the development of Qatar's young players, aligning with a strategic plan to enhance their skills through high-level competition.
'This championship is a vital opportunity to nurture our young talent,' Al Kuwari said. 'We have strong confidence in our squad, and our goal is to deliver a performance that reflects the progress of Qatari basketball, building on the valuable experience gained at the William Jones Cup.'
Qatar's reserve team recently competed in the 44th William Jones International Basketball Tournament in Chinese Taipei, where they faced formidable opponents, including Japan, Australia, Bahrain, the UAE, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei A and B, and the Philippines' strong group.
The tournament provided Qatar with crucial international exposure and preparation.
The Qatari squad comprises 13 players: Abdullah Yassin, Owen Ikena Amah, Raslan Rashid Al Abdulla, Mubarak Rashid Jama, Mohammed Saeed Badri, Osama Abdelnasser, Tamim Abu Issa, Azzam Mohammed, Mohammed Ahmed, Mahmoud Deeb, Issa Alert, Hamza Al Attar, and Dijan Janic.
The team is guided by a coaching staff focused on building a youthful, competitive lineup for the future.
Participating delegations will begin arriving in Bahrain on Tuesday, led by the Arab Basketball Federation's leadership, including Secretary-General Major General Abdullah Shalabi.
Bahrain secured hosting rights for this edition after Tunisia withdrew, marking the kingdom's first time hosting the Arab championship in its over five-decade history.
Extensive logistical and technical preparations are underway to ensure a successful tournament.
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