Jordan to Open FIBA Asia Cup Campaign Against India
The "Nashama Falcons" aim for a strong start to boost their chances of reaching the later stages of the tournament, following an intensive preparation phase that concluded with a closed-door friendly against the Philippines. The match allowed the coaching staff to assess both the tactical and physical readiness of the squad.
Head coach Roy Rana stressed the importance of the opening match in setting the tone for Jordan's campaign. He noted that the team has focused on defensive discipline, quick offensive transitions, and improving cohesion between local and international players.
The match has drawn significant fan interest, with Jordanian supporters hopeful for a strong showing and a return to prominence on the continental basketball stage.
Jordan shares Group C with India, Lebanon, and Chinese Taipei. Group winners advance directly to the quarterfinals, while second- and third-placed teams will enter playoff qualifiers for the remaining spots. Petra
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Jordan Times
38 minutes ago
- Jordan Times
China reaches quarters with a convincing win
AMMAN — China basketball team on Saturday reserved a place in the quarterfinal, following a 90-68 victory over Jordan at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. China opened the match with a 17-0 assault led by Hu Mingxuan and Hu Jinqiu as the Nashama could only play catch-up the rest of the way. Cheng Shuaipeng then sparked the breakaway in the middle of the game's last two quarters behind his pinpoint accuracy from downtown, and China was never challenged for the rest of the game and towards the quarters. China convincingly won all three games in the group clinching the first spot and waiting a few days to see which team will play with them for the semifinal of FIBA Asian Cup. "This was a great game for us," said Chinese Coach Guo Shiqiang. "It was a team effort. We really prepared well for this game. We fought together and we executed both on offense and defense, and we controlled our turnovers." Cheng top-scored for China with 20 points behind a 5-of-10 clip from beyond the arc, while Zhao Rui added15 points and Mingxuan 14 points, four rebounds, and six assists to continue his solid play, while the towering Jinqiu notched his second double-double in a row with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Wang Junjie added 11 points in the victory as five players finished in double digits, where the whole team had a total of 22 assists. The Jordanians, were led by Dar Tucker with 27 points and Ahmad Al Hamarsheh again had a very good game with 11 points and six rebounds, while Abdullah Olajuwon added 10 points and five rebounds, finishing a group stage with a 1-2 record. Jordan will play on Monday against Chinese Taipei to reach quarterfinals where Iran is awaiting.
Ammon
3 hours ago
- Ammon
'Tell us how he died': Salah criticises UEFA tribute to 'Palestinian Pele'
Ammon News - Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah on Saturday criticised UEFA's tribute to the late Suleiman Al-Obeid, known as the "Palestinian Pele," after European soccer's governing body failed to reference the circumstances surrounding his death this week. The Palestine Football Association said that Al-Obeid, 41, was killed by an Israeli strike targeting civilians waiting for humanitarian aid in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. In a brief post on the social media platform X, UEFA called the former national team member "a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times." Salah responded: "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?" UEFA was not immediately available to comment. One of the Premier League's biggest stars, the 33-year-old Egyptian Salah has previously advocated for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza in the nearly two-year-old war. The PFA later posted a statement on its Facebook page attributed to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, calling Al-Obeid "proof of the joy that can flourish in the hearts of people despite hardship. "He gave his talent and dedication to the children of Gaza and gave their dreams a hope to blossom despite the suffering," the statement read. "His death is a great loss to the world of football and to everyone who recognises the power of sport to unite people." The PFA said on Saturday that 325 players, coaches, administrators, referees and club board members in the Palestinian soccer community have died in the Israeli-Hamas conflict since October 2023. Reuters
Jordan Times
2 days ago
- Jordan Times
Saudi Arabia stuns Jordan in the second match of Group C
AMMAN – If the game lasted for another two-three minutes, Nashama may have had pulled another miraculous comeback like three years ago against Chinese Taipei. Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia capitalised on a big margin it created in the second quarter and somehow managed to close the match 77-73. Saudi Arabia had a minimal lead after the first quarter, but played impeccably in the second quarter winning that period 27-14, providing a comfortable cushion on the half time 48-31 at the King Abdullah Sports Centre in Riyadh. "Really important win," said head coach Ricard Casas. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman led the Saudis with 25 points, alongside eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals for an all-around performance, which netted him TCL Player of the Game honours by game's end. On the other hand, Mo Alsuwailem followed him witha double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds, with 6 blocks. They were the only players to finish in twin digits for the team but a total of eight players scored, with Ali Shubayli, Musab Kadi, Fahad Belal, Mathna Almarwani, and Marzouq Almuwallad chipping in at least six points. In Jordanian team, Freddy Ibrahim and experienced veteran Ahmad Alhamarsheh finished with 19 points apiece to lead Jordan, which fell to 1-1 as it won the opening match against India 91-84. Yazan Al Taweel added 13 points while Abdullah Olajuwon, the son of the NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, scored 10 points, picked three rebounds and had a steal. In the third match, Jordan faces the favorite China at 14:00 local time on Saturday while Saudi Arabia plays India to seal the qualifying spot with a win. First three teams will qualify for the next phase.
